The Works Of Benjamin De Casseres 1

434 Pages·1976·10.924 MB·English

by  Benjamin De Casseres, Benjamin DeCasseres

GORDON PRESS• Publishers
P.OB.o x4 59
BowlingG reeSnt ation
New YorkN,. Y.1 0004
LibraorfCy o ngreCsast alogiinPn ugb licaDtatiao n
De Casseres,B enjamin, 1873-1945.
The workso f Benjamin De Casseres.
Reprinto f the 1936-e3d8. publishebyd
B. De Casseresa t the BlackstonPueb lishers,
New York.
CONTENTS: 1. Exhibitionisma, new theoryo f
evolution.Th e individuala gainst Moloch. Black
suns. The eternal return. The eighth heaven.
Julesd e Gaultiera nd LaRochefoucauld.'!h e elect
and the damned. Saint Tantalus-.- 2.Th e
adventureosf an exile. I dancewi th Nietzsche.
Broken images. Raiders of the absolute.F antasia
impromptu,p t. l. Spinozaa gainst the rabbis. [et.c]
PS3507.E2149 76 814'.5'2 76-22423
ISBN0 -879-64786-4
Printiendt heU nited StofaAm teersi ca
Foreword
Ip urptoops ueib slfhr otmi mteot iemp arotfms y e leven
unpublviosmlheuesd.
"xEhibit:iA oNneiws mThoefoE rvyo lut(iBooonk"l et
No.1 )i asc hapftreo"rmB r okIemnga e'sa',b ookf iofft een
esys.sa
Thet itolfoe tsh beoro kcsh,a potrep rrasto sfw hiwcihl l
bep ubliasrh:ee d,
"TheE terRneatnlu, r"'B'al ckS uns"( po�)m,"s aSint
Tanatlus",My' S'y pmhoni"eChsa,o'as'n dC osoms", ''The
Electt hDaeamn ndde ',"'Th eA meriCcomaend y",Nu"tp oi'a',
"TheI nidviduVearlsiMusostl oachn""dFa ntaIsmripoam p:t u
thAed ventoufar nIe tsne elcltFuuaanl. "
Thel atbtoeorik sa ni tnecltlueaault ogbrpiahoyb,e guinn
1925 anwdh iwcihl clo ntuinnutIeid li eI.ti sn owa bout
fihveu ndtrheodau nswdo rldosn g.
Thebsoeo kwlieltnlsob te p uibslhweihdt a nrye rgdaco
ord.eI m rayj mupf robmo otkob ooaksI,s efei t.
Whethtehreb soeo wkis lelv ebrep ublicsohmepdli ent e
myli eftiimsseo megtt hhianotn t ihlsea opf gtodhse.
Becaumsyee xotfr leimteye a rnapdrh ilosoidpnihdvi­ical
ualisImh, avael wahyastd h ger eeasdtti fficuilnt dyfii nna g
publhiesr.
Hencteh ebsokeol .e ts
BenjaDmeiaCns esse.r
Iw rite beIc waiusshte om akef ori deawsh,ic h are my
idase,a p lacient h ew ordl IfIc oulfdo resteheat th esied eas
.
must taykoepu e afcorefom imn da nrde poisfe ,i ni dtehase se
thaIts owIs hodu eles theg eromfsbl oody warsa nde ven
the cauosfte h reu isn ofm angyne eratIiw oounlsnd,e v er­
thdsse conttionsp uree tahde. m Itis n eithfeorrt helo ve
of youe venfnoor tr h elo ve oft rutht haIte xprewshsa tI
thinkN.o- -I si!n gsiIn bge cea uaIsm a sigenrIfu sIe
.
youi nth iwsa yi,t b eicsa Iuh savene eeodfy ouearr! s
-Max Striner.
If moenree llyo oaktas w omainnm orungi snhiem me­
daitebleyg itnops ly aN iobAen.d reS ua.r es
--
Imagaitniiotsnh m eo spto werrafelituyl inl itvohefmese n .
-BarbeDy 'A urcvilley.
1
Narcisosrut sh,eU nconsciBoeuasu otyf t heU niverosnee ,
dayb eheiltds ealnfdt heU niverisnte h em irroofri ts
mindT.h es ouhla da rriavtes de lf-cons.c iousness
Att hat mowmaesnb to rEnx hibitioornt ihseim n,s tinct
toa ctt,os how-otffoe, x pltohieet g o.
Exhibitiiosnthe i semt erensaolt elraiwoc f w hatw e call
evolutAiloln e.x isteinstc oew ard smeolrfe- consciousness.
Everyth-inogr ganaincdi norga-ndiecs itroes see i tself.
Whateviesar s pitroem si rrors.
ExhibitiNoanricsimsa,mu ,t oscaorpety h em otivfeosra ll
movementthsr oughtohueut n iverse.
2
Almosaltld efinitoifoe vnosl utairpoehn y sicIatil as.s tduy
inbo dilsyo,c ioloagnidbc raalic nh anggeesn,e raflrloytm h e
simptloet hceo mplferxo,tm h e" homogenteoot uhseh etero­
geneouass,H "e rbert Sppuetnisct e.r
AllE volutiisco onn ceirveeldi gioBuostlhDy a.wr ina nd
Spencearn-de veHna eckel-woerrteh odionxd-emdT.J 1ey
wermeo ralitshiterse; v olutwiaosm no raSlo.w asN ietzsche's,
forh ise voluttioao nS upermiasnm essiaan pioce,t a'nsd
iconoclaSsetc'osAn ddv e.n tMani sa lwa"ygso inugp ward."
(Wherteo ?)
Evolutwiaosan,n di sg eneralloloyk,oe nda sa m oramla n­
ifestoaftt ihoUenn knowabOlnelt.yh ger eHautx lerye mained
thed oubtTihnogm asW.h atg oodh,e sadiiddi, td ot ot he
ancesotfot rh eh orssel,o w-movdienfge,n sea lpersetsyo, a lJ
fleet-foaontiemdat losb ,et oldh iidsne aht struegsbg yls ome
CosmiPco llyatnhnaoatn eo fh idse scendwaonutlosdn ed ay
wint hDee rbyB?u te vetnh iqsu estsitoiinlm pll ietshm eo racl i
aso pposroe tdh ere stheptoiicno tfv iew.
6
3
Tom ee,v loutaiseo xnp noduebdyt heeov lutsitdoson eisn't
meaant hiTnhgeW. h yn,o tth Heo wi,ts h iem portthnaign.t
Bedseiwsh,i leevu otliwoihnti finx epdta tearnnsdsp eS-­cie
chaitsg ,r owftrhoi mna fnltyiit tos elnyii--tisa fmauctt,­
aiblyi otfs epciiesds,ce iddleyno,pt r voenN.e ither embry­
oolgnyo mro roplhopgoryv etsom et hmaatn wa so nca bei dr,
a .fisha,ne elphaonrat p rimate.
4
Eveni f Dtahrew itnhieaoonrf ty h oer ni ogfia nmdu ta­
biloifsty p ceiweasas f acitti,os fn oi mpocretE.av netnh e
"survoiftv ha.fielt teisnt "st rthueg gfloere xsitence-the
stronpgoeiisnnttt h sec heomfDe ar wimnisinso utn iver­
--
saolr c onnvcniigf,o drme ocriasca y s chemaen-di th sa
parwtolryk eodrt- hfpee rpetoufta htuein ofintth ,ce o nquest
oft hset rboynt ghw ee ka.T hew or"dfi th"av sa iroumesa n­
ignsa,n hda nsve ebre edne .finteomd y s aftaticison.
ScoialainsCdmo m umniosnmla cyce nttuhaletwa et htta he
"t.fi"a rael ywsar ulbeytd h uen fiAtl.tl h giscn onnstttlaeyn d
tod eagdrat"ioiFtna'.n' d" ufinta"r peo nitosfv ienwo,at
law.
5
Iti s tnrotuthe ca hto ssuer vwihvoe mcoasnqu ti kclayd apt
theemlsvteots h eeinrv iernotnA.ms maa totfef rac tm,a ns ur­
vivewsa rbgry oi nnh iesn viroandmpaetnittnh,gee n viron­
menttoh iosw ns elxfp-leoiyn teaetsdotsrgr,ila gnno rr ee-actr­
intgh eex tewronlradl.
Geinus alwaaytws a r hw iitetsn virotnhmmeeon stt,
non-dapataobflh eu ms-a-n survniovoten sll yei rtaqluliyt,e
otfebnu,it nt hmee moorfmy a nb eyoanlodlt h"edara ptable"
nonietnites.
Isi bte caGuesneii utss hG er eEaxth tiibointihGsert e,a t
7
Showotffh,e G reat Egthoear BcihgP, e acockth,e n oramn d
patteorfSn a tanas-AestthhCeer teiactuso,r ?
Geniiuses xh ibtiiosnti-Nartcoti hssetu rpemdee grIetie si. n
theg enituhsaI tfi ndt hei nnuerrg oef l ifteh aiJt tsho'ur ce
:
ttndo bjoefca ltcl h angHea:v e-you-s?-e-etnh-memi reror
instinacmtt -hIa Ita m- self-lovwei-lttlhop e o wer- the
wiltlol ive-twhielt loi lluns-aiuotoscopepacyoc-kcry.
6
Man andt heU niverasreere sthentoinc,- moreaglo,- elec­
tronpiucr,e alcyt orPiaanl-.G oldi,km ean ,p laymsa nyp arts
inh itsi meH.e i sE xhibintiisPotr imus.
7
Whateveexri sdtesrs eisa na uidencEev.e rythdiesniegrs
tob es eenE.v erhyitndge sitroet se liltt sa le.
Thea udien-ciensteimnacnta ftreostm h ep rofounmdeetsat­
physiscoaulr ocfet sh eu niverwseae r:e douAbnl aeu.d ience
foarl wle d ot,h infke,e flo,ar l olu rm ovemenist ism,pe rtavie
ifw e aret ol ive.
Life inicso nceiwviatbhloaeun ta udniceeT.h iasu dience
hasv arionuasm esG:o d,p esronsse,l f-consciotuhsen ess,
alter-peugbol,i cfiatmyea,, w oman'as f,r iesn edar',p riest,
self-flartetmeorrypsr,ea ,y e(rt aot oothpoirtc hke:E ternal­
itm attenrost. )T hati st her easotnoo,,w hyt hedr amatic­
theaftorreim n a rits c o-etewrintmahal n E.a cohf u sl isvi en
a theatre.
8
Yous ayyo uh avneo G od?P ompolusi aYro!u rs eilsyf o ur
God.Yo ua rea lwasytsr utbtefinogrt eh eP ridoerH umility
thadto mitneayso uY.o ud on otpr ayH?y pocrEivteerm!yo ve­
mentf ors elf-presiesarv partaiyotenors avyeo ubra con.
Yous ayyo u.a rmeo desYto?u p orohuusm bugY!o ur "mo­
destyi"sa s ecrseetl f-kiesxhsiibnigti into hne M irroofrS elf
8
-Narcismseunst amlalsyt urgba itnti hnep ooolf se llfvoe
- .
Youa re" honoraabnlde" 'd'i sinte?r Yeosuta erde"- dIo
not( almosdto)u bitt B.u th owy oul ikteo r epeatth at
toy ourswehlifs,p erionfcg oluyr isnet ,h ed eeposfy oupri l-:
loww,h ilwea lkiinntg h ep arko,ro vetrh et elephwohneree,
thep erhacpysn icmailnldye pde rsoonnt hoet heern dc antn o
seyeo ufra c--e-0rw heryeo uc annsoethe i s.
We alsli itn t hea uditoroifou umr s kulalnsdw atcthh e
plaiyn w hicahl tlh ec haracatreeir,nst hefi naaln alyosuirs ,
selves.
9
Them etaphybsasiicosaf le xhibitiiostn hiess tmr aen agnd
incomprehenisninbeulrre g teo e xpres.sT ihoenoloegyx rpess­
esi t-Gobde camteh eW ord.Ph ilosoepxhpyr esistae ss
Noumenobne comiPnhge nomenon.
Ie xpreistas sG odi nventmiinrgr otrhses, p acses leeesking
spacienw hictho m ove asnudr vietys eflofrS, p ae cist he
ballrotohmeP, e acock-oAflt lheeIy n visible.
10
Allr eligiaolnplsh ,i loscaolps hyisteamlscl,o smogonies
aerc reatteoed x platihnoe b vious ionful tiifaleni dtt hyi n.g s
"Whyi sa ntyhin"g,?a skeVdo lta.i re
Buddhaan swer"eAdl,tl h inagrste h per oducotfI lDle.a th
toL ife!"
The Greeksimmortaanld m iraculaopupsa ritiino n
--
Tim!e- answer"eTdh:i ngs teoex xihsitb itb etahuettihyrre, i
comedtyh,e piart hoAsl.lfl owsa,lp la ssLeisf.ie sa s porLti.fe
isa spectaacnel xeh,i bitIitoosnn l.my e aniinsgi tseGlofd.
isan E ye.E voh!e
CursLei ef and youa rec ursinygo ursePlrfa.iLs ief aen d
youa re praigs yionurself.
Them ockinggo dps ursauletl e h inventooftr hse ologies,
9
cosmolaongdFia ers-- ODffivEivneenw tihst t heliuarg h.t er
For thecyl oawornfes P ttlhhyaee that fgooreeerTsv.h eoyn
arael watyhNsea rcsieseskimi onrcgeo mlepetltyom atelriizae
theiimgrae tso t heemlsvients h sete amrinhge avoefnI sl­
lusni.o
11
Lifiesac ompetsitgtrgiulivenee xhtiiboinSieslxmfp.l-d ­ei
tatainoednog d-isteanrtteih meoa ni nsgpsor fti hnsetu grgle
foerx istWeens cuveri.v es htooowff a,n wdh ewne c anno
longsehro owf wfh,e tnh fien fee haetarnstd h set tra urgeo n,e
itis t imteod ie.
Natusraey" sA,md iryeo sueralnfsd e kea dmriat.iWh oenn
yocua nno m oraemd iery ourasnednl ofl n ogefirn dan a d­
mierry,o muu sdtei ."
12
Thew orilssd o emtihgn liakg egi anmtuisce .uA mndwe
humaanrsee t earltnlryy tiono gut -dpeesotnaaeln hoetEra.c h
one wtaoln oktoo sv earlt lhe o trhseh'e saW.de h vaes ecretly
piantpeodr torfao iutrvsse easln adr ter ytiono gu t-hoanneg
another.
TheH angnigJ uyr andP edeaslPt-lacientr hsmi su seum
arPeu bOlpinici oonu,fr r iepnuldbiistc,oy u,or w nc ons­cious
ne.sT sheirse bnroiw beew i ll ngoitvt eh em tog oogde t a
hannggi.
13
"Iw anttob en oteid!c'i'st hfiesr th earyto -fdc orga nd
ifnnat.i stIh ltea syto ftc hrsee lneai ndde ycead.
"AnIdw anttob en otibcyeeodnt dh ger a!v"ie sr eally
whtat hheu amnb eimneagn sb yi mmrotliaty.
"Calmlea ,b ut ndoiotng ore! "sm,he kreiWdei dle.
--
Theg reIartim soth- kmeahre rheiu tp oanp rofdo turutnh.
For tnobo ent o cteiids f omar ofa nnlitiahoin.
10
EvenB uddhaw,h od rewh iss wroda gainLsitf ed,i dt he
deebde fohriesd iscipHlee csa.m et ot each thet hwaotr ld
there had bbene otw toerrl dHi.s c amerwaesr teh ee yeasn d
earosf h isd isciples.
14
Likteh dee sifroeir m mortatlhigeto yd,as r aep rolongation
oft hiasu toscoipnisctailn ct.
Cosmipce rsonifiicsaM tei roani steodt heh ighepsotw er
byt hel evitaotfti hoenI maginatThieo vne.r hyea venarse
turniendt ao m irrionrw hicwhe s eoeu rselavsge isa natnsd
supernatural beings.
Christ-suepxrheimbei toifoh niisstto ry-idheinmtsifieeldf
witGho d. InvNearrtceidse scasnt haassny e vegro nfeu rther.
Nos ucthi tamniircr oofrt hsee lwfa se veirn ventNeod s.u ch
egomanhiaasec v ebre elno osoen t hep lanaestt hibse autiful
peacock.
As a piecoefp urfea ntastic exhtiheb giotdisoo nfi sm,
OlympuAsl,l aBhu,d dhaan d Orpheamuast eaurcreos m apred
tot hiJse sus.
Hisw ast heb oldeIs Atm attiteuvdeesr t ruckt hoen
planeHte. w ast heA vataorft heI mmod.e stHhei mlsfe
annihiltahtece odn ceopftt h em eeka ndlo wlyH.e inflated
himsetlotf h beo undosft heu niverse.
He wasd iviinnet hes ensteh ahte w asE xhibitionism,
Egolailnicaa,r .n ate
Chriwsa-s tt hLea w:T hous haelxth itbhiyts neuldfbe e feo r
God anmde n.
Heh amsa des ucah t remendiomupsr esosnit ohnie m agina­
tioonfsm ena ndo nh istboercya uhsewe a st hvee ritVaobilece
ofM an-mant heeg omanmiaanct ,h see ekfeorfr a mep,u bli­
citayn ds elf-multipmlaincw ahtosi eoenksts;ob eG od.
11
15
Ih albfe liweihvtt eh aen ciaennwdti stM ha eetrclki( nnoe
oft hceel aremsotsv,ti d v ainsdu btmlienssd)tt a htt heirse
onloyn bee nigo,n e Moantn h pilsa naeD te:m iguer.
Wea re all asvpaertciitoaosnft,s h Difesam cigeuetwr,sh ,o
isn oGto d,b uwth oi sr elda ttoGe oda ss omoegr anf,o r
inscteoa,fnm y biosdr eyl attote hde wohfmo el.e
ThiMsa n-whoIwm i clalMl ilrc ocotsme-ntdops e rpet­
uavla artiiuonnd tehrpe r imlawa lt hacto mmdashn imt o
apsietr os ehei msienasl mfa nryo lgeusis,as neadd ventures
as arpeo ss.i ble
InT homHaasry d'"sT hDey nasatlsl" hbeumianng isn,­
clugdN iapnoolnet,h hee rooft hgirse eaptia crs,eh o,wf norm
timtoe t impeu,l altuillnikgbe ca teirni abt rhaeoi fIn t S.o
dow ep ultleui ln abtrhaeoi ftn h Dee miguero fE ahr.tH e
isc onscoifuo sua,ssM aetnecrakln imdy searlef c onscious
ofh mi.
Andt heirsne om orree asfooDrnem iguer'bseg i,on rf or
ouerx siteasn cveaa rnitosfh ibso dtyh,o uagnhddt r eams,
thatnh ewrase f otrh Oely mpiasnp oirtnas n ciGernete ce,
which bweveleritdeeob eo f diovriingteih nia:stf , op ru lrye
cxhibniitisictso-trehpetupirocs. e s
16
Alslp oirsats how-aasn hdo iwsa ne xbhiitia coonn,t est
foery elsa,u relaspp luaasned.
Ina w orLdi,efi sas poArtsS. p iznasos' protw awsa tch­
insgp dierksi lla noonteah seF ra,eb 'rssp owrastw atching
threrg -aicomliicvo efs s iecnstosa ,rt eh emraen eyy esste
upouns -streaynegsoe t ihdnei rm seino.n stThoe wme,t, o o,
araes poars th,o awn,e xhibition.
17
Theraern eo p rciinplTehse.ra er oen leyhx ibit.i onists
Princtihpeleoesirs,edi, a asr teh mea sokfs itnhnsect titsh,e