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infinitely； and fill every wish as fast as it rose。 Oceans of Hochheimer； a Throat like that of Ophiuchus： speak not of them； to the infinite Shoeblack they are as nothing。 No sooner is your ocean filled； than he grumbles that it might have been of better vintage。 Try him with half of a Universe； of an Omnipotence； he sets to quarrelling with the proprietor of the other half； and declares himself the most maltreated of men。Always there is a black spot in our sunshine： it is even； as I said； the _Shadow of Ourselves_。
〃But the whim we have of Happiness is somewhat thus。 By certain valuations； and averages； of our own striking； we come upon some sort of average terrestrial lot； this we fancy belongs to us by nature； and of indefeasible right。 It is simple payment of our wages； of our deserts； requires neither thanks nor complaint； only such _overplus_ as there may be do we account Happiness； any _deficit_ again is Misery。 Now consider that we have the valuation of our own deserts ourselves； and what a fund of Self…conceit there is in each of us；do you wonder that the balance should so often dip the wrong way； and many a Blockhead cry： See there； what a payment； was ever worthy gentleman so used！I tell thee； Blockhead； it all comes of thy Vanity； of what thou _fanciest_ those same deserts of thine to be。 Fancy that thou deservest to be hanged （as is most likely）； thou wilt feel it happiness to be only shot： fancy that thou deservest to be hanged in a hair…halter； it will be a luxury to die in hemp。
〃So true is it； what I then said； that _the Fraction of Life can be increased in value not so much by increasing your Numerator as by lessening your Denominator_。 Nay； unless my Algebra deceive me； _Unity_ itself divided by _Zero_ will give _Infinity_。 Make thy claim of wages a zero； then； thou hast the world under thy feet。 Well did the Wisest of our time write： 'It is only with Renunciation （_Entsagen_） that Life； properly speaking； can be said to begin。'
〃I asked myself： What is this that； ever since earliest years； thou hast been fretting and fuming； and lamenting and self…tormenting； on account of？ Say it in a word： is it not because thou art not HAPPY？ Because the THOU （sweet gentleman） is not sufficiently honored； nourished； soft…bedded； and lovingly cared for？ Foolish soul！ What Act of Legislature was there that _thou_ shouldst be Happy？ A little while ago thou hadst no right to _be_ at all。 What if thou wert born and predestined not to be Happy； but to be Unhappy！ Art thou nothing other than a Vulture； then； that fliest through the Universe seeking after somewhat to _eat_； and shrieking dolefully because carrion enough is not given thee？ Close thy _Byron_； open thy _Goethe_。〃
〃_Es leuchtet mir ein_； I see a glimpse of it！〃 cries he elsewhere： 〃there is in man a HIGHER than Love of Happiness： he can do without Happiness； and instead thereof find Blessedness！ Was it not to preach forth this same HIGHER that sages and martyrs； the Poet and the Priest； in all times； have spoken and suffered； bearing testimony； through life and through death； of the Godlike that is in Man； and how in the Godlike only has he Strength and Freedom？ Which God…inspiredd Doctrine art thou also honored to be taught； O Heavens！ and broken with manifold merciful Afflictions； even till thou become contrite and learn it！ Oh； thank thy Destiny for these； thankfully bear what yet remain： thou hadst need of them； the Self in thee needed to be annihilated。 By benignant fever…paroxysms is Life rooting out the deep…seated chronic Disease； and triumphs over Death。 On the roaring billows of Time； thou art not engulfed； but borne aloft into the azure of Eternity。 Love not Pleasure； love God。 This is the EVERLASTING YEA； wherein all contradiction is solved： wherein whoso walks and works； it is well with him。〃
And again： 〃Small is it that thou canst trample the Earth with its injuries under thy feet； as old Greek Zeno trained thee： thou canst love the Earth while it injures thee； and even because it injures thee； for this a Greater than Zeno was needed； and he too was sent。 Knowest thou that '_Worship of Sorrow_'？ The Temple thereof； founded some eighteen centuries ago； now lies in ruins； overgrown with jungle； the habitation of doleful creatures： nevertheless； venture forward； in a low crypt； arched out of falling fragments； thou findest the Altar still there； and its sacred Lamp perennially burning。〃
Without pretending to comment on which strange utterances； the Editor will only remark； that there lies beside them much of a still more questionable character； unsuited to the general apprehension； nay wherein he himself does not see his way。 Nebulous disquisitions on Religion； yet not without bursts of splendor； on the 〃perennial continuance of Inspiration；〃 on Prophecy； that there are 〃true Priests； as well as Baal…Priests； in our own day：〃 with more of the like sort。 We select some fractions； by way of finish to this farrago。
〃Cease； my much…respected Herr von Voltaire；〃 thus apostrophizes the Professor： 〃shut thy sweet voice； for the task appointed thee seems finished。 Sufficiently hast thou demonstrated this proposition； considerable or otherwise： That the Mythus of the Christian Religion looks not in the eighteenth century as it did in the eighth。 Alas； were thy six…and…thirty quartos； and the six…and…thirty thousand other quartos and folios； and flying sheets or reams； printed before and since on the same subject； all needed to convince us of so little！ But what next？ Wilt thou help us to embody the divine Spirit of that Religion in a new Mythus； in a new vehicle and vesture； that our Souls； otherwise too like perishing； may live？ What！ thou hast no faculty in that kind？ Only a torch for burning； no hammer for building？ Take our thanks； then； andthyself away。
〃Meanwhile what are antiquated Mythuses to me？ Or is the God present； felt in my own heart； a thing which Herr von Voltaire will dispute out of me； or dispute into me？ To the '_Worship of Sorrow_' ascribe what origin and genesis thou pleasest； _has_ not that Worship originated； and been generated； is it not _here_？ Feel it in thy heart； and then say whether it is of God！ This is Belief； all else is Opinion；for which latter whoso will； let him worry and be worried。〃
〃Neither；〃 observes he elsewhere； 〃shall ye tear out one another's eyes； struggling over 'Plenary Inspiration；' and such like： try rather to get a little even Partial Inspiration； each of you for himself。 One BIBLE I know； of whose Plenary Inspiration doubt is not so much as possible； nay with my own eyes I saw the God's…Hand writing it： thereof all other Bibles are but Leaves；say； in Picture…Writing to assist the weaker faculty。〃
Or； to give the wearied reader relief； and bring it to an end； let him take the following perhaps more intelligible passage：
〃To me； in this our life；〃 says the Professor； 〃which is an internecine warfare with the Time…spirit； other warfare seems questionable。 Hast thou in any way a contention with thy brother； I advise thee； think well what the meaning thereof is。 If thou gauge it to the bottom； it is simply this： 'Fellow； see！ thou art taking more than thy share of Happiness in the world； something from my share： which； by the Heavens； thou shalt not； nay I will fight thee rather。'Alas； and the whole lot to be divided is such a beggarly matter； truly a 'feast of shells；' for the substance has been spilled out： not enough to quench one Appetite； and the collective human species clutching at them！Can we not； in all such cases； rather say： 'Take it； thou too…ravenous individual； take that pitiful additional fraction of a share； which I reckoned mine； but which thou so wantest； take it with a blessing： would to Heaven I had enough for thee！'If Fichte's _Wissenschaftslehre_ be； 'to a certain extent； Applied Christianity；' surely to a still greater extent； so is this。 We have here not a Whole Duty of Man； yet a Half Duty； namely the Passive half： could we but do it； as we can demonstrate it！
〃But indeed Conviction； were it never so excellent； is worthless till it convert itself into Conduct。 Nay properly Conviction is not possible till then； inasmuch as all Speculation is by nature endless； formless； a vortex amid vortices； only by a felt indubitable certainty of Experience does it find any centre to revolve round； and so fashion itself into a system。 Most true is it； as a wise man teaches us； that 'Doubt of any sort cannot be removed except by Action。' On which ground； too； let him who gropes painfully in darkness or uncertain light； and prays vehemently that the dawn may ripen into day； lay this other precept well to heart； which to me was of invaluable service： '_Do the Duty which lies nearest thee_；' which thou knowest to be a Duty！ Thy second Duty will already have become clearer。
〃May we not say； however； that the hour of Spiritual Enfranchisement is even this： When your Ideal World； wherein the whole man has been dimly struggling and inexpressibly languishing to work； becomes revealed； and thrown open； and you discover； with amazement enough； like the Lothario in _Wilhelm Meister_； that your 'America is here or nowhere'？ Th