All that life demands of us through the
greater part of the day, is an equilibrium, a readiness, open eyes
and ears, and free hands. Society asks this, and truth, and love,
and the genius of our life. There is a fire in some men which
demands an outlet in some rude action; they betray their impatience
of quiet by an irregular Catalinarian gait; by irregular, faltering,
disturbed speech, too emphatic for the occasion. They treat trifles
with a tragic air. This is not beautiful. Could they not lay a rod
or two of stone wall, and work off this superabundant irritability.
When two strangers meet in the highway, what each demands of the
other is, that the aspect should show a firm mind, ready for any
event of good or ill, prepared alike to give death or to give life,
as the emergency of the next moment may require. We must walk as
guests in nature, -- not impassioned, but cool and disengaged. A man
should try time, and his face should wear the expression of a just
judge, who has nowise made up his opinion, who fears nothing and even
hopes nothing, but who puts nature and fortune on their merits: he
will hear the case out, and then decide.
Pages:
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284