The record-union., 1897-03-29
A CHEERFUL MESSAGE.

De. Olindo Malogodi has a cheerful
message for mankind. He has been
studying the anarchist from a LOm-
broso standpoint, and he reaches the
conclusion that the fellow is not very
dangerous because he is a dreamer. He
begins in this way, which sufficiently
indicates the line of his thought:
One of the most prominent character
istics in the psychology of the anarch
list, as we'll as in that of the conspirator
in general is the extraordinary pre-
dominance of the visionary imagination
over all other faculties, including that
of critical judgment and of reasoning.
Moreover, the causes which produce in
the midst of our orderly social system
the anarchist type of individual are
many and complex; but undoubtedly
the prevalence of the imaginative over
the critical faculty is the cause which
exercises the greatest influence. So
true it is that the type of the anarchist.
If not in practice, at least in intellectual
characteristics, is to be found not only
among delinquents. but very frequently
in the highest classes of mankind (hu
namely speaking), that in which the
veloped-the artist class. Tolstoi, Yer
laine, Wales, Nietszche are, from a GER
tain poirt of view, the brothers of
Henry and valiant.
This hypertrophy of the imaginative
faculty, which I have always observed
in all the anarchists with whom 1 have
come into contact (those gifted with re-
markable intellectual faculties not ex-
and which in, tac
a want Of mental equilibrium, is exag-
gerated by the special conditions of
life in which anarchists find them
selves; above all. by the inactivity to
which they are condemned.
The conclusion he reaches is that
humanity will always be exposed to
epidemics of sentiment and visions, as
st always has been, and that to these no
epidemic Of good sense is found to be
an antidote. In anarchistic assem-
blages reciprocal excitation exercises
an enormous influence and leads the
whole group into visionary intoxication
and paroxyms of imagination such as
not one of the group singly could possi-
bly, feel. Predominence of the imagf-
native faculty, inaction and mutual
psychological excitation constitute the
elements of anarchistic imaginings
So from their assemblages arise
grandiose plots against society. imprac-
ticable and far in excess of anything
the police really can or do expose But
rarely are these schemes given to ac-
ton Rarely do they live beyond the
plotting. Some new and grander
scheme IS always born to kill all that
precede it, and put off indefinitely the
catastrophe plotted for IN the mean
time the towards in life'' doze in peace
and while the time away idly dreaming
When tney do come to action, it is
notable that more and more they
choose that which involves least danger
to themselves, and as a rule their at
tempts are of a character that prove
futile. So the doctor concludes. finally
that anarchism will continue to live in
a small way on small deeds, and that
its greatest danger does not lie in its
conspiracies, which vanish like soap
bubbles, or in the projects of its leaders.
who always take care to preserve
themselves from the dangers of action.
But the gravest danger of anarchism
lies in the chance that some individual
Of mediocre intelligence, incapacity to
criticise, but capable of action, will act