NIETZSCHE
HIS LIFE AND WORKS
[Philosophies Ancient and Modern]
BY
ANTHONY M. LUDOVICI
AUTHOR OF
'Who is to be Master of the World?'
And 'Notes to Zarathustra'
PREFACE BY DR. OSCAR LEVY
CONSTABLE & COMPANY LTD
London
1910
Introduction
The commission for a book on Nietzsche, to form the latest additionto a series of famous philosophers, is most certainly a sign thatthe age of adversity, through which the earlier Nietzscheans had tostruggle, has at last come to an end. For ten consecutive years theyhad had no reply whatever to their propaganda, and their publications,loud as some of them were, proved as ineffective as cannon shots firedinto the eternity of interplanetary space. Finally, however, when theecho was at last heard, it gave back nothing like the original sound:it was an echo of groans and moans, an echo of roaring disapprovaland hissing mockery. Yet the years rolled on and on—and so did theprinting-presses—hissing and roaring as much as ever—but at last,their thunders grew tamer and more subdued—the tempest of their furyseemed to die away in the distance—occasionally a slight mutterwas still to be heard, but no more flashes and hisses—and suddenlya streak of blue was observed over the horizon, followed by a rayand smile of sunlight—and a soft zephyr of subdued and tentativecompliments—and when our Nietzsche edition had begun to appear in itsstately volumes we were enabled to receive from our former enemies onboth sides of the Atlantic "respectful congratulations."
And now all my brave friends are radiant with joy and optimism. Likethe wanderer in the fairy tale, while the storm of disgust and loudreproach was raging, they wrapped themselves all the more closely intheir cloaks, and no impudent wind could tear a shred of garments fromthem, but now that the sun of approval has set in, they would fain getout of their armour and enjoy the fine weather as a reward for pastperils. Has not the spring come at last? Are not the gay flowers at ourfeet meant to welcome the victorious warriors?... Are not the ladies—ladies that from time immemorial have loved the warrior (especiallywhen he is successful)—smiling at us more gloriously even than thesun?... Sun, ladies, flowers, smiles—was there ever a nicercombination?...
But, alas! there is an unimaginative creature among the guests, anearnest face among the cheerful, a disbeliever among the faithful, adark countenance amid the bright assembly;—a being who, in glaringcontrast to the sun, the smiles, and the gaily-coloured dresses andsunshades, is keeping a tight hold upon a dark umbrella—for he has anuncontrollable mistrust of English weather!
And I may claim that I not only know the meteorological conditions ofEngland, but also those of the whole of modern Europe. I know them sowell that I have the greatest doubts whether Nietzsche's influencewill be strong enough to withstand the terrible hurricane of democracywhich in our age is sweeping everything before it, and leaving alevel plain in its rear. Nietzsche may have been ever so right, butTruth and Righteousness do not always prevail in this world of ours,indeed, they don't: the bible itself, that otherwise optimistic book,lets this grand secret out once and only once—in the story of Job.The "happy ending" in that book will deceive no realistic observer:it was added to the story, as it is added to modern plays and novels,for the edification and comfort of the audience: the true story