Civilisation : Its Cause and Cure 



How far this process may go it is not necessary 

 now to enquire. It is sufficiently obvious that our 

 domestic life and clothing may be at once grea:tly 

 reduced in complexity, and with the greatest ad- 

 vantage — made subsidiary instead of being erected 

 into the fetishes which they are. And everyone may 

 feel assured that each gain in this direction is a 

 gain in true life — whether it be the head that 

 goes uncovered to the air of heaven, or the feet 

 that press bare the magnetic earth, or the elementary 

 raiment that allows through its meshes the light 

 itself to reach the vital organs. The life of the 

 open air, familiarity with the winds and waves, clean 

 and pure food, the companionship of the animals 

 — the very wrestling with the great Mother for 

 his food — all these things will tend to restore that 

 relationship which man has so long disowned ; 

 and the consequent instreaming of energy into 

 his system will carry him to perfections of health 

 and radiance of being at present unsuspected. 



Of course, it will be said that many of these things 

 are difficult to realise in our country, that an indoor 

 life, with all its concomitants, is forced upon us 

 by the climate. But if this is to some small — though 

 very small — extent true, it forms no reason why 

 we should not still take advantage of every oppor- 

 tunity to push in the direction indicated. It must 

 be remembered, too, that our climate is greatly 

 of our own creation. If the atmosphere of many 

 of our great towns and of the lands for miles in 

 their neighbourhood is devitalised and deadly — 

 so that in cold weather it grants to the poor mortal 



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