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EZRA POUND 167
England and Scotland, those manifestations of a culture that now
lie roofless to the weather, symbolizing the vanished glories of
their builders as well as the present apathy of the village inhabitants.
The strength of the shire, and its ability to produce people
who emigrated to various parts of the world and distinguished
themselves, notably in America, was centered in the "humane
family" occupying the great house, and their humane influence
pervaded the entire community. Now that good manners have
been equated with tyranny, the villagers have returned to the
graces of their cattle. 17
The American South also has benefited by the influence of the
"great house" and its humane influence. Now that most of its
mansions are in decay, or restored and in the hands of "Yankees",
the influence is hardly discernible, although traces of it linger in
speech and minor courtesies.
Ezra's translations of Confucius were not widely reviewed in the
United States because the first mention of the word "order" in
contemporary intellectual circles is equivalent to the cry of "Fire!"
in a crowded theater. Everyone dashes for the exits. Confucius
states (and this is out of context) that "One man can bring the
state to an orderly course." By this he means one "humane" man,
not a Fascist dictator. Confucius treats of the "gentleman in government",
not the egomaniac.
The history of modern Europe might have been quite different
had Mr. Hitler been able to bring order into his thought, but he is
seldom criticized on that ground, perhaps because many self-styled
liberals think in the same irregular fashion that he did. Their minds
proceed in a sort of Cinerama, at one moment whirling down the
roller-coaster of psychoanalysis, and the next moment drifting in a
balloon over Paris.
Fighting this trend, Ezra Pound was driven further and further
from his homeland, geographically speaking, but at the same time,
he was drifting closer to his roots. At least he came to an understanding
of those Confucian gentlemen of the early Republic, Mr.
Washington and Mr. Adams, whose virtu stemmed from the
humane families of Great Britain.
In these editorials, Ezra was carrying on his battle with Wyndham
Lewis, "the enemy", with his usual strategy. He presented his