W.B.

Yeats
KerryBolton fromhttp://www.countercurrents.com/2011/06/wbyeats/

WilliamButlerYeats,18651939 Theriseofindustrialismandcapitalismduringthe19thcenturybroughtwithitsocial dislocation,thetriumphofthecommercialclassesandinterests,andthecreationofan urbanproletariatontheruinsofrurallife.Smashedasunderwerethetraditionalorganic bondsoffamilyandvillage,rootednesstotheearththroughgenerationsofones offspring,andattunementtothecyclesofnature.Withtheascendancyofmaterialism cametheeconomicdoctrinesofFreeTradecapitalismandMarxismandthenewbeliefin rationalismandscienceoverfaith,themysteriesofthecosmos,andthetraditional religions.TheforcesofmoneyhaddefeatedeverythingoftheSpirit.AsSpengler explainedinhisDeclineoftheWest,WesternCivilizationhadentereditsendcycle.Such forceshadbeenletlooseaslongagoastheEnglishRevolutionofCromwellandagainby theFrenchRevolution. Therewas,however,areactiontothispredicament.Theoldconservativeshadnotbeen uptothetask.Thespiritualandculturalreactioncamefromtheartists,poetsand writerswhoreachbeyondthematerialanddrawtheirinspirationfromthewellsprings ofwhatC.G.Jungidentifiedasthecollectiveunconscious.Thisreactionincludednot onlythepoliticalandtheculturalbutalsoaspiritualrevivalexpressedinaninterestin themetaphysical. AgainsttheModernWorld Amongtheartistsinrevoltagainstthemodernworld[1]wastheIrishpoetWilliam

ButlerYeats(18651939),leaderoftheIrishliteraryrenaissanceandwinneroftheNobel PrizeforLiteraturein1923. DespitehisEnglishandProtestantbackground,YeatswasinvolvedintheYoungIreland movement,muchofhispoetrycelebratingtheIrishrebellionanditsheroes.[2] YeatswroteofhisreturntoEnglandin1887andhowthedrabmodernityofLondon impresseduponhisaestheticsensethenatureofthecrisisthatwasunfoldingfor civilization: IcouldnotunderstandwherethecharmhadgonethatIhadfelt,whenasa schoolboyoftwelveorthirteen,Ihadplayedamongtheunfinishedhouses, onceleavingthemarksofmytwohands,blackedbyafallamongsomepaint, uponawhitebalustrade.SometimesIthoughtitwasbecausethesewerereal houses,whilemyplayhadbeenamongtoyhousessomedaytobeinhabitedby imaginarypeoplefullofthehappinessthatonecanseeinpicturebooks.Iwas inallthingsPreRaphaelite. ...Irememberfeelingdisappointedbecausethecooperativestores,withtheir littleseventeenthcenturypanes,weresolikeanycommonshop;andbecause thepublichouse,calledTheTabardafterChaucersInn,wassoplainlya commonpublichouse;andbecausethegreatsignofatrumpeterdesignedby Rooke,thePreRaphaeliteartist,hadbeenfreshenedbysomeinferiorhand.[3] YeatshadbeenasayoungsterintroducedbyhisfatherJohn,himselfaPreRaphaelite artist,tothepaintingsofthePreRaphaelites,theromanticimageryofwhichstoodthen asarebellionagainsttheencroachmentsofmodernismandindustrialism.Havinglived inEnglandasachildtwentyyearsbefore,Yeatswasnowstruckbyhowmuchhad radicallychangedundertheimpressofprogress.Themodernerahadevenimpacted upontheaestheticofYeatsownfamily,writingofhowhisfathernowmadehisliving, andalsoalludingtothechangesbeingwroughtbymodernisminart: Itwasaperpetualbewildermentthatmyfather,whohadbegunlifeasaPre Raphaelitepainter,nowpaintedportraitsofthefirstcomer,childrenselling newspapers,oraconsumptivegirlwithabasketoffishuponherhead,and thatwhen,movedperhapsbymemoryofhisyouth,hechosesomethemefrom poetictradition,hewouldsoonwearyandleaveitunfinished.Ihadseenthe changecomingbitbybitanditsdefenceelaboratedbyyoungmenfreshfrom theParisartschools.Wemustpaintwhatisinfrontofus,orAmanmustbe ofhisowntime,theywouldsay,andifIspokeofBlakeorRossettitheywould pointouthisbaddrawingandtellmetoadmireCarolusDuranandBastien Lepage.Then,too,theywereveryignorantmen;theyreadnothing,fornothing matteredbutKnowinghowtopaint,beinginreactionagainstageneration thatseemedtohavewasteditstimeuponsomanythings.[4] Yeatsatthattimecouldstillseepromiseintheyouth,inaromanticrebellionagainst modernism,difficultforustounderstandnow,whentheyouthfulrebellion(sic)ofour owntimetranspiredtobeofthemostbogusnatureofthehippieera,andtheNewLeft

andnextthepresentgenerationofconsumers.ButatthattimeYeatscouldstillsayofthe youth: Ithoughtmyselfaloneinhatingtheseyoungmen,[5]nowindeedgetting towardsmiddlelife,theircontemptforthepast,theirmonopolyofthefuture, butinafewmonthsIwastodiscoverothersofmyownage,whothoughtasI did,foritisnottruethatyouthlooksbeforeitwiththemechanicalgazeofa welldrilledsoldier.Itsquarrelisnotwiththepast,butwiththepresent, whereitseldersaresoobviouslypowerful,andnocauseseemslostifitseemto threatenthatpower.Doescultivatedyoutheverreallylovethefuture,where theeyecandiscovernopersecutedRoyaltyhiddenamongoakleaves,though fromitcertainlydoescomesomuchproletarianrhetoric?[6] Hehadmaintainedareligiousoutlookagainstmaterialism,rationalism,andtheworship ofscienceandprogress: Ihadmadeanewreligion,almostaninfalliblechurch,outofpoetictradition: afardelofstories,andofpersonages,andofemotions,abundleofimagesand ofmaskspassedonfromgenerationtogenerationbypoets&painterswith somehelpfromphilosophersandtheologians.IwishedforaworldwhereI coulddiscoverthistraditionperpetually,andnotinpicturesandinpoems only,butintilesroundthechimneypieceandinthehangingsthatkeptout thedraught.Ihadevencreatedadogma:Becausethoseimaginarypeopleare createdoutofthedeepestinstinctofman,tobehismeasureandhisnorm, whateverIcanimaginethosemouthsspeakingmaybethenearestIcangoto truth.WhenIlistenedtheyseemedalwaystospeakofonethingonly:they, theirloves,everyincidentoftheirlives,weresteepedinthesupernatural.[7] ItwasagainstthisbackgroundofresistancetothemodernworldthatYeats,having alreadybeenacquaintedwithTheosophyinDublin,soughtoutHelenaBlavatskywho hadrecentlycometoEngland,awomanwithwhomhewasimpressedashavingavast knowledgeofwhatiscalledtheAgelessWisdomorPerennialTradition.[8] ForBlavatskyshiddenmasters[9]Yeatsprovidesarelativelyplausibleexplanation,and onethatmightbeasreadilyacceptedbyadherentstothetheoryoftheCollective UnconsciousandarchetypespostulatedbyJung: Ithoughtthathermasterswereimaginaryformscreatedbysuggestion,but whetherthatsuggestioncamefromMadameBlavatskysownmindorfrom somemind,perhapsatagreatdistance,Ididnotknow;andIbelievedthat theseformscouldpassfromMadameBlavatskysmindtothemindsofothers, andevenacquireexternalreality,andthatitwasevenpossiblethatthey talkedandwrote.Theywerebornintheimagination,whereBlake[10]had declaredthatallmenliveafterdeath,andwhereeverymaniskingorpriest inhisownhouse.[11] ItwasaroundthistimethatYeatshappenedtomeetMacgregorMathers,astudentand authoroftheoccult,attheBritishMuseumreadingroom,andtobeginstudiesof

occultismunderhisguidance,writing:anditwasthroughhimmainlythatIbegan certainstudiesandexperiencesthatweretoconvincemethatimageswellupbeforethe mindseyefromadeepersourcethanconsciousorsubconsciousmemory.[12] MatherswasacofounderandheadoftheHermeticOrderoftheGoldenDawn,the primaryorganizationaroundwhichtherewasanoccultrevival.Yeatswasinitiatedin 1890,andwaswithinafewyearsanAdeptinitsgoverningbody,theSecondOrder.[13] ForYeatsthemysticalwasthebasisofbothhispoetryandhispoliticalideas.Hewas particularlyinterestedintheIrishmysticaltraditionandfolklore.Hesawthepeasantry andruralvaluesasbeingnecessarytoreviveagainsttheonslaughtofmaterialism.He aimedtofoundanIrishHermeticOrder,anOrderofCelticMysteries,asheaimedto callit,replacingthealienEgyptiangodsofGoldenDawnritualwiththeIrishgodsand heroes.[14] Yeatssawthemythicandspiritualasthebasisofaculture,providingtheunderlying unityforallculturalmanifestations,aunityofbeing,where,writinginreferenceto Byzantineculture:[The]religious,aestheticandpracticallifewereone...thepainter, themosaicworker,theworkeringoldandsilver,theilluminatorofsacredbookswere absorbedinthesubjectmatter,andthatofthevisionofawholepeople.[15] Archetypes&theMultitude Yeatsheldthatsymbolshadanautonomouspoweroftheirownintheunconscious.Itwas thesesymbols,agelonginheritedmemories,uponwhichtheartistandthepoetdrewas thesourceofcreativity. ToYeats,individualityisnotasimportantasouragehasimagined.[16]The daimons[17]oftheancientmemoriesactedupontheindividual,andonescreativitywas anexpressionoftheseforces.Thesesymbolsandimagescouldbebroughtto consciousnessandexpressedartisticallyviamagicandritual;henceYeatsinvolvementin metaphysicalsocietiessuchastheGoldenDawnandTheosophy.Additionally,theoccult providedaliterallyhiddenculturethatwasaboveandbeyondthecrassnessofdemocracy, oftheherd,andofmaterialexistence,henceitsbeingtermedtheRoyalArt,where again,asintraditionalsocietiesoverthecourseofmillennia,apriestlycaste,attheapex ofahierarchicalsociety,servedasthenexusbetweentheterrestrialandthedivine, servingasthataxisaroundwhichHighCulturerevolves.[18] Yeatspoetrywasintendedasanexpressionofthesesymbolsoftheunconsciousandthe archetypal.Thisresurgenceoftheseagelongmemoriesrequiredarevoltofsoulagainst intellectnowbeginningintheworld.[19]Whatisherecalledintellectwastheadvance ofrationalism,scientism,andEnlightenmentdoctrinesthathaddestroyedmansnexus withthedivineembodiedintraditionsandhierarchicalsocialorders,andwhichhas repressedmansspiritualnatureinfavorofthecrasslymaterial.Spenglerreferredtothe sameculturalpredicamentwhenhewroteoftheconflictinthefinalstagesofa civilizationbetweenbloodandmoney,theintellectbeingthesuperficialthatisat theserviceofmoney,bloodbeingametaphorforthetraditional(i.e.theorganic).[20]

Yeats,likeD.H.Lawrence,EzraPound,etal.,wasparticularlyconcernedthat commercialismwouldmeanthepushingdownofculturalvaluesinthepursuitofprofit ratherthanartisticexcellence.Hence,hecalledforarevivalofaristocraticvalues.He lamentedthat,themeremultitudeiseverywherewithitsemptyphotographiceyes.A declarationofwaronthemassesbyhighermeniscalledfor.Everywherethemediocre arecominginordertomakethemselvesmaster.[21] Hisappealwastotheartistandtotheindividualoftasteandculturefor,asNietzsche hadpointedout,cultureisthefacultythatdistinguishesthehumanfromother organisms.Inthisspirit,YeatsapplaudedNietzschesphilosophyas,acounteractiveto thespreadofdemocraticvulgarity.[22] Thissuspicionofdemocraticvulgarity,specificallywhatappearstobeacondemnationof thedemocratizationofliteratureknownasthenewsmedia,waspoeticallyexpressedfor examplein1921inTheLeadersoftheCrowd: Theymusttokeeptheircertaintyaccuse Allthataredifferentofabaseintent; Pulldownestablishedhonor;hawkfornews Whatevertheirloosefantasyinvent...[23] HereYeatsiscondemningthelevelingeffectsofthedemocraticmedia,panderingtothe lowestdenominatorforthesakeofmaximumprofitviathelargestmarket,whichwas reflectedalsoineveryotherfacetofculturethathadbecomepartofaproductionprocess likeanyothercommodity,andwhichwaswhyYeats,likeLawrence,Lewis,Pound,etal., deploredthedemocratizationprocess YeatskeensenseofhistoricalcontextisreflectedinTheCurseofCromwell.Herehe identifiestheEnglishRevolutionaswhatwecanseeastheinaugurationofthecycleof MoneyoverBlood,inSpenglerianterms:thevictoryofthemerchantclassoverthe traditionalorder,whichwastoberereenactedintheFrenchRevolution.[24]The BolshevikRevolutionwasofthesamespiritofmoneyagainstblood,ofthematerialistic againstthespiritandculture.Allthreerevolutionswerecarriedoutinthenameofthe peopleagainstthetraditionalrulers,onlytocreateagreatertyrannyintheserviceof money.SpenglerhadwritteninTheDeclineoftheWest:Practicalcommunismwithits classwar...isnothingbutthetrustyhenchmanofbigCapital,whichknowsperfectly wellhowtomakeuseofit...[25]inthattheirobjectisnottoovercomemoneyvalues,but topossessthem.[26] CromwellsEnglishrevolutionhashadlastingconsequencesfortheentireWest.Thecycle ofMoneyovercultureandtraditionthatCromwellinauguratedhasneverbeenovercome. AmericawasfoundedonthesamePuritanmoneyethicsandcontinuestospreadthat spiritoverthefarthestreachesoftheworld. Cromwellsmurderouscrewhavebroughtforththemoneysrantonthebloodofwhat isnoble.

YouaskwhatIhavefound,andfarandwideIgo: NothingbutCromwellshouseandCromwellsmurderouscrew Theloversandthedancersarebeatenintotheclay Andthetallmenandtheswordsmenandthehorsemen, wherearethey? Andthereisanoldbeggarwanderinginhispride HisfathersservedtheirfathersbeforeChristwascrucified Owhatofthat,Owhatofthat? Whatistherelefttosay? ThespecterofPuritanismhashauntedtheentireworldeversince,farandwide. Nobilityofcharacter,regardlessofclassitselfavulgarizationofthetraditional castes wasdestroyedbytheinaugurationintheWestofthereignofmoneybyCromwell,and onethatwasnotovercome,butratheradoptedbyitssupposedenemy,socialism,as Spenglerwastopointout.Yeats,asTheCurseofCromwellshows,hasbeenoneofthe fewtorealizethefulldepthandlastingsignificanceofPuritanismunderwhatevername itmightappear. SpenglerpointedoutthenatureofPuritanisminthesamespiritasYeats,referringto Puritanism,notonlyintheWest,butitsanalogousmanifestationsinotherculturesin theircycleofdecay,whichlacksthesmilethathadilluminatedthereligionoftheSpring ...[27]themomentsofprofoundjoyinlife,thehumouroflife.[28]Yeatsdiscernedthe same:Theloversandthedancersarebeatenintotheclay/Andthetallmenandthe swordsmenandthehorsemen,herearethey? Nolongerarethereleftthoseofnobletradition,thosewhoservedaspartofalong heritage,thetallmen;andtheoldgaietyofthepeasantvillage,thesquireshalland aristocratsmanorhavebeenbeatendown. Allneighborly,contentandeasytalkaregone, Butheresnogoodcomplaining,formoneysrantison. Theartists,oncepatronizedbythearistocracy,mustnowprostitutetheirartforthesake ofmoneyonthemassmarket,asscriptwriters,andpublicentertainerstosella product.Allindividualsarenowproducersandconsumers,includingtheartistproducing foraconsumermarket. AndweandalltheMusesarethingsofnoaccount. Yeatsconsideredhimselfheirtoatraditionthathasbeenrepressedbydemocratic vulgarity,andhelivedinservicetothattradition,nowvirtuallydriventothecatacombs underthedeadweightofmassculture,whichisnothingmorethanconsumerism posturingasart,literature,andmusicmanufacturedaccordingtomarketdemands. HeandafewothersofthesametemperamentlivedintheserviceofHighCultureas contemporarytroubadoursagainstthemodernworldtoupliftthespiritsoftheremnant whohavemanagedtomaintaintheirnobilityinthefaceofthecrass:

Thattheswordsmenandtheladiescanstillkeepcompany, Canpaythepoetforaverseandhearthefiddlesound, ThatIamstilltheirservantthoughallareunderground... OrderfromChaos OneproductofdemocracyandcapitalismthatYeatsfearedwastheproliferationofthose heregardedasinferiorpeople.Yeatsadvocatedplannedhumanupbreedingandjoined theEugenicsSocietyatatimewheneugenicswasawidelyheldbeliefamongthe intelligentsia.Aswithhispoliticalandculturalviews,however,hisoutlookoneugenics hadamysticalbasis,relatingreincarnationtotheracesoul.Inhis1938poemUnder BenBulbenYeatscallsineugenictermsforIrishpoetstosingofwhateveriswell made,andscornthesortnowgrowingup,alloutofshapefromtoetotop.Inthis poem,thereisamixtureofthemythic,reincarnation,theracesoul,andeugenics.There isanimmortalityofthesoulthatpartsoneindeathonlybrieflyfromtheworld. Manytimesmanlivesanddies Betweenhistwoeternities Thatofraceandthatofsoul AndancientIrelandknewitall.[29] Theeugenicandthedivinecombinewithintheartist: Poetandsculptor,dothework, Norletthemodishpaintershirk Whathisgreatforefathersdid, BringthesoulofmantoGod, Makehimfillthecradlesright. However,inthemodernage,Thegreaterdreamhadgone.Confusionfelluponour thought.Itisthedutyoftheculturalbearingstratumtosetthecultureanewby rememberingwhathadoncebeen: Irishpoets,learnyourtrade, Singwhateveriswellmade, Scornthesortnowgrowingup Alloutofshapefromtoetotop, Theirunrememberingheartsandheads Basebornproductsofbasebeds. Yeatsantidotetothemodemcycleofdeclineistoreturntothetraditionalorderof peasant,squire,monkandaristocrat: Singthepeasantryandthen Hardridingcountrygentlemen, Theholinessofmonks,andafter Porterdrinkersrandylaughter Singthelordsandladiesgay Thatwerebeatenintotheclay

Throughsevenheroiccenturies; Castyourmindonotherdays Thatweincomingdaysmaybe StilltheindomitableIrishry... Returningtoeugenics,YeatshadOntheBoilerpublishedthesameyear,wherehe endorsedthepsychometricstudiesthatwereshowingintelligencetobeinherited,and expressedconcernattheproliferationoftheunintelligent.[30] Themoderneraiscomparedtothetraditionalbywayofamaninagoldenbreastplate undertheoldstonecross,symbolsofanobleage.InTheOldStoneCross,Yeatswrites: Astatesmanisaneasyman. Hetellshisliesbyrote; Ajournalistmakesuphislies Andtakesyoubythethroat; Sostayathomeanddrinkyourbeer Andlettheneighboursvote Saidthemaninthegoldenbreastplate UndertheoldstoneCross Becausethisageandthenextengenderintheditch...[31] Thedemocraticfarce,withitspoliticians,newspapermen,andvotingmassesarenot worthyofattention.ThemoderncycleisalsodealtwithinTheStatesmansHoliday, where: Ilivedamonggreathouses, Richesdroveoutrank. Basedroveoutthebetterblood. Andmindandbodyshrank...[32] Thearistocracyofold,thenoblelineageofblood,offamilialdescent,hasbeenreplacedby thenewrich,themerchants,ournewrulersarethosewhomeasureallthingsbyprofit. Fall&Rise In1921,theyearpriortoMussolinisassumptiontopower,YeatshadprophesiedinThe SecondComingtheapproachofafigurefromoutofthedemocraticchaos,arough beastwhowouldsettlemattersamidstaworldwhere,whenthingsfallapart,thecentre cannothold. ThethemeisreminiscentofSpenglersaccountofthereturnofCaesarismattheendof Civilization,inatypeoflasthurrah,orfinaldyingbreathwhentheCivilizationbriefly reassertsitselfagainstmoneyandreturnstoitsfoundingvalues.[33]IntheSpenglerian cyclicparadigm,thereisnotonlyadeclineandfallofacivilizationbutaninterregnum wherethenewCaesaremergesfromthedecadentepochtoinauguratearevitalization ofthecivilization.Yeatspoemopenswithanallusiontotheturningofthehistoric

cycles: Turningandturninginthewideninggyre thefalconcannothearthefalconer: Thingsfallapart,thecentrecannothold;[34] HereYeatsisportrayinghistoryasacyclereminiscentofawheel,wheretheaxisaround whichthecivilizationrevolvesisthatofTradition,butasthecivilizationadvancesalong thepathofcyclicdecay,itbeginstofallasunderastheaxisofTraditionisnolonger strongenoughtoholdtheedificeofcivilizationtogether.Thefalconcannothearthe falconer:modernmaninthelastcycleofeverycivilizationnolongerhearsthecallof hisTradition,ormetaphorically,hisblood.Heisdetachedandloosestheanchorageof theaxisofTradition.Consequentlyeverythingfallsapart:thecivilizationdies,andits lightisextinguished,existingperhapsonlyintheformofruinsofoncegreatmonuments, oftheColiseumandthepyramids.AlthoughYeatshadworkedouthistheoryofhistory priortoreadingSpengler,hefoundthecoincidencebetweenhisviewsandthose expressedinTheDeclineofTheWest,toogreatforcoincidence,[35]orperhapswhatone mightcallintheJungiansensesynchronistic. Mereanarchyisloosedupontheworld, Theblooddimmedtideisloosed,andeverywhere Theceremonyofinnocenceisdrowned: Thebestlackallconviction,whiletheworst Arefullofpassionateintensity. OnecanreadintheabovewhatappearstobethenthegrowingtideofBolshevik revolutionamidstthelossoftradition,havingdescribedMarxismasthesuperheadof materialismandleadingtoinevitablemurder.[36]Theansweristheriseofastrong leaderwhowillgetcivilizationbackoncourse,thenewCaesarthatSpenglerlatersaw inthepossibilityofMussolini. Surelysomerevelationisathand; SurelytheSecondComingisathand.[37] LikeSpengler,YeatssawhopeinFascistItaly:TheIrelandthatreactsfromthepresent disorderisturningitseyestowardsindividualistItaly.Inparticular,headmiredthe educationalreformsandcyclichistoricaldoctrineofItalianFascistphilosopherand MinisterofEducation,GiovanniGentile,statingin1925beforetheIrishSenate,ofwhich hewasamember,thatIrishteachersshouldstudythemethodsthatGentilehadenacted inItalianschools,sotocorrelateallsubjectsofstudy.[38]ThefollowingyearSenator Yeats[39]statedthattheItalianeducationalsystemwasadaptedtoanagricultural nationwhichwasapplicablealsotoIreland,asystemofeducationthatwillnotturnout clerksonly,butwillturnoutefficientmenandwomen,whocanmanagetodoallthe workofthenation.[40] WiththeassumptiontoGovernmentofDeValerain1932,thefollowingyearYeatswas seekingtoformulateadoctrineforIrelandthatwouldbeaformofFascismmodifiedby religion.[41]Historyconsistedbroadlyoftheruleofthemanyfollowedbytheruleofthe

few,againreminiscentofSpenglersideaofanewCaesarismthatfollowsontheruleof plutocracyattheendcycleofacivilization.ForYeats,theruleofthefewmeantareturn tosomeformofaristocracy.[42] Thatyear,1933,YeatsmetGeneralEoinODuffy,leaderoftheIrishBlueshirts,whom YeatsthoughtmightbecapableofoverthrowingDeValeraandinstitutingasound government.ODuffy,aherooftheIrishrevoltandMichaelCollinsprincipalaide, createdamassmovement,oneofthemanycorporatistmovementsthatweresprouting upalloverEuropeandfurtherafieldinthemidstoftheDepression,andEirewasalmost broughttocivilwarbetweenhisBlueshirtsandtheIRA.[43]Yeatsapprovingly regardedtheBlueshirtsaspartofaworldwidemovementoffascism[44]andwrote threemarchingsongsforthem.ThesesangoftheheroesofIreland,andoftheneedfora renewedsocialorder. Whennationsareemptyupthereatthetop, Whenorderhasweakenedandfactionisstrong, Timeforustopickoutagoodtune, Taketotheroadsandgomarchingalong... However,Yeats,likeWyndhamLewis,Evola,andothers,wassuspiciousofanymovement thatappealedtothemasses,andofwhathesawasthedemagogueryoftheFascist leadersinappealingtothosemasses.Thiswasregardlessofthefactthatthemasses werebeingwonovertonationalidealsandawayfromtheinternationalismofthe Communists. EvenSpenglerexpressedreservationsaboutFascismbecauseofitsnatureasamass movement,writingthat:Mussoliniscreativeideawasgrand,andithasaninternational effect:itrevealedapossibleformforcombatingBolshevism.Butthisformaroseoutof imitatingtheenemyandisthereforefullofdangers:revolutionfrombelow...[45] Yeats,likeothermembersoftheliteratiwhoweresuspiciousofmassmovementsofany form,hadtheluxuryofnotsubjectinghisidealstothesoberingnecessitiesofapractical politicalstruggletosavecivilizationfromcommunismandcapitalism,whichiswhat ODuffyandothersaroundtheworldwerethentryingtoaccomplish. Butitisnottheroleofthetroubadourtocarryoutpoliticalcampaigns,buttomaintain theremnantsofHighCultureamidstthevulgarityofwhattheHinduscalltheKali Yuga.Andinthistask,Yeatsneverwavered. Notes [1]JuliusEvola,RevoltAgainsttheModernWorld,trans.GuidoStucco(Rochester,Ver.: InnerTraditions,1995). [2]W.B.Yeats,Easter1916. [3]W.B.Yeats,FourYears18871891(Dublin:TheCualaPress,1921),Chapter1. [4]Yeats,FourYears,Chapter2. [5]Themodernists.

[6]Yeats,FourYears,Chapter2. [7]Yeats,FourYears.However,itmightbeaskedwhethertheenormousinterestin wizardryandfantasy,andinnewformsoftheheroicepic,infilmandliteratureamong presentdayyoungsters(Tolkien,HarryPotter,andthelike)isanembryonicreaction againstthemodernworld.Doesthisexpressayearningforthereturnofsomething deeper,religionandthemysticalhavingbeendrivenfromlifebyscience,technology,and theshoppingmall? [8]Yeats,FourYears,Chapter17. [9]HiddenMasters,supposedlycontrollersoftheworldinsomeremoteregionsuchas Tibet,manifestingtheirdesirestolessermortalsthroughtheirchosenvehicles,havebeen invoguesinceBlavatskysday,andoftenprovidethelegitimacyforclaimstooccult leadership. [10]WilliamBlake. [11]Yeats,FourYears,Chapter18.Thenotionofthoughtformsbeingabletotakeonan independentexistenceshouldnotperhapsbeautomaticallydismissedasnonsense.The presentdayscientistRupertSheldrake,abiologistofrepute,hasdevotedmuchresearch intothepossibilityofwhathecallsthemorphicfieldandmorphicresonance,whichis analogoustowhatmysticscalltheastralplane,wherethoughtformsmighttake tangibleshape.RupertSheldrakeWebsite:http://www.sheldrake.org/homepage.html ThefamousexperimentinCanadaofthecreationofagroupthoughtform,whichtook onapersonalityandevenahistoryandnameofitsown,isafascinatingexampleofwhat Yeatsseemstobehypothesizing.(ThePhilipExperiment,Toronto,1972). [12]Yeats,FourYears,Chapter19.HereagainonecouldhaverecoursetoJungsconcept oftheCollectiveUnconscious,althoughYeatsseemstohavedevelopedananalogous theoryonhisownaccount. [13]EllicHowe,TheMagiciansoftheGoldenDawn(Northamptonshire:TheAquarian Press,1985),pp.100102. [14]TerenceBrown,TheLifeofW.B.Yeats:ACriticalBiography(Oxford:Blackwell, 2001),p.119. [15]AlexanderNormanJeffares,ANewCommentaryonthePoemsofW.B.Yeats (Stanford,Cal.:StanfordUniversityPress,1984),p.212,citing:AVision:Noteson SailingtoByzantium. [16]Brown,TheLifeofW.B.Yeats,p.117. [17]Greek,oneshigherintuitive,creativefaculties. [18]Thepreeminent19thCenturyhistorianoftheoccult,EliphasLvy(Alphonse Constant)referredtothearistocratictraditionoftheoccultaselevatingtheadepttothe rankofkings,becausemagicalinitiationconstitutesatrueroyalty...characterizedby allAdeptsastheRoyalArt.EliphasLevy,TheHistoryofMagic(London:Rider,1982),p.

5.LikeEvolaandRenGunon,Lvy,aformersocialistagitatorandFreemasonofthe RoseCrossDegree,alsowarnedofanantitraditionthatincludedFreemasonryandwas behindtheFrenchRevolution:Theanarchistshaveresumedtherule,squareandmallet, writinguponthemthewordLiberty,Equality,FraternityLiberty,thatistosay,forall lusts,EqualityindegradationandFraternityintheworkofdestruction.Sucharethe menwhomtheChurchhascondemnedjustlyandwillcondemnforever(p.287).See also:Chapter4:TheFrenchRevolution.ItisofinterestthattheFrenchRevolutionary sloganLiberty,Equality,Fraternity,alsohappenstobethesloganoftheGrandOrient ofFrance. [19]W.B.Yeats,LettertoJohnOLeary,1892. [20]Moneyisoverthrownandabolishedonlybyblood(Spengler,TheDeclineofthe West,vol.2,p.507). [21]W.B.Yeats,OntheBoiler(Dublin:TheCualaPress,1939),p.25. [22]JohnCarey,TheIntellectualandtheMasses(London:FaberandFaber,1992),p.25. [23]W.B.Yeats,MichaelRobertsandtheDancer,TheLeadersoftheCrowd(Dublin: TheCualaPress,1921). [24]Spengler,TheDeclineoftheWest,vol.2,p.507. [25]Spengler,TheDeclineoftheWest,vol.2,p.506,n1. [26]Spengler,TheDeclineoftheWest,vol.2,p.506,n2. [27]SpenglerreferredtotheanalogoushistoricalepochsofCivilizationsintermsofthe Seasons,toemphasizetheorganicnatureofhiscyclichistoricalparadigm. [28]Spengler,TheDeclineoftheWest,vol.2,p.302. [29]W.B.Yeats,UnderBenBulben,1938. [30]W.B.Yeats,OntheBoiler(Dublin:TheCualaPress,1938). [31]W.B.Yeats,TheOldStoneCross,1938. [32]W.B.Yeats,TheStatesmansHoliday,1938. [33]ThecomingofCaesarismbreaksthedictatureofmoneyanditspoliticalweapon democracy(Spengler,TheDeclineofTheWest,vol.2,p.506). [34]W.B.Yeats,TheSecondComing,1921. [35]W.B.Yeats,AVision(NewYork:Macmillan,1961),p.261. [36]AllenWadeandRupertHartDavis,ed.TheLettersofW.B.Yeats,p.656. [37]Yeats,TheSecondComing. [38]D.R.Pearse,ed.,TheSenateSpeechesofW.B.Yeats(London:FaberandFaber, 1961),p.173. [39]YeatshadbeenappointedtothefirstIrishSenatein1922andwasreappointedin

1925. [40]Pearse,ed.,TheSenateSpeechesofW.B.Yeats,p.111. [41]WadeandHartDavis,eds.,TheLettersofW.B.Yeats,p.808. [42]WadeandHartDavis,eds.,TheLettersofW.B.Yeats,p.813. [43]MauriceManning,TheBlueshirts(London:GillandMacmillan,1970). [44]Manning,TheBlueshirts,p.232. [45]OswaldSpengler,TheHourofDecision,trans.CharlesFrancisAtkinson(NewYork: AlfredA.Knopf,1963),pp.18687.HoweverSpengleralsobelievedthatFascismmight transformintosomethingelseprefiguringanewCaesarism(p.230).