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that he is the latest terrestrial manifestation of an ever upward…
striving movement of divine power？ If there lives a man who does not
want to disbelieve the popular notions about the condition and
destiny of the bulk of his race； I should like to have him look me in
the face and tell me so。
I am not writing for the basement story or the nursery； and I do not
pretend to be； but I say nothing in these pages which would not be
said without fear of offence in any intelligent circle； such as
clergymen of the higher castes are in the habit of frequenting。
There are teachers in type for our grandmothers and our grandchildren
who vaccinate the two childhoods with wholesome doctrine； transmitted
harmlessly from one infant to another。 But we three men at our table
have taken the disease of thinking in the natural way。 It is an
epidemic in these times； and those who are afraid of it must shut
themselves up close or they will catch it。
I hope none of us are wanting in reverence。 One at least of us is a
regular church…goer； and believes a man may be devout and yet very
free in the expression of his opinions on the gravest subjects。
There may be some good people who think that our young friend who
puts his thoughts in verse is going sounding over perilous depths；
and are frightened every time he throws the lead。 There is nothing
to be frightened at。 This is a manly world we live in。 Our
reverence is good for nothing if it does not begin with self…respect。
Occidental manhood springs from that as its basis； Oriental manhood
finds the greatest satisfaction in self…abasement。 There is no use
in trying to graft the tropical palm upon the Northern pine。 The
same divine forces underlie the growth of both； but leaf and flower
and fruit must follow the law of race； of soil； of climate。 Whether
the questions which assail my young friend have risen in my reader's
mind or not； he knows perfectly well that nobody can keep such
questions from springing up in every young mind of any force or
honesty。 As for the excellent little wretches who grow up in what
they are taught； with never a scruple or a query； Protestant or
Catholic； Jew or Mormon； Mahometan or Buddhist； they signify nothing
in the intellectual life of the race。 If the world had been wholly
peopled with such half…vitalized mental negatives； there never would
have been a creed like that of Christendom。
I entirely agree with the spirit of the verses I have looked over； in
this point at least； that a true man's allegiance is given to that
which is highest in his own nature。 He reverences truth； he loves
kindness； he respects justice。 The two first qualities he
understands well enough。 But the last； justice； at least as between
the Infinite and the finite； has been so utterly dehumanized；
disintegrated； decomposed； and diabolized in passing through the
minds of the half…civilized banditti who have peopled and unpeopled
the world for some scores of generations； that it has become a mere
algebraic x； and has no fixed value whatever as a human conception。
As for power； we are outgrowing all superstition about that。 We have
not the slightest respect for it as such； and it is just as well to
remember this in all our spiritual adjustments。 We fear power when
we cannot master it； but just as far as we can master it； we make a
slave and a beast of burden of it without hesitation。 We cannot
change the ebb and flow of the tides； or the course of the seasons；
but we come as near it as we can。 We dam out the ocean； we make
roses bloom in winter and water freeze in summer。 We have no more
reverence for the sun than we have for a fish…tail gas…burner； we
stare into his face with telescopes as at a ballet…dancer with opera…
glasses； we pick his rays to pieces with prisms as if they were so
many skeins of colored yarn； we tell him we do not want his company
and shut him out like a troublesome vagrant。 The gods of the old
heathen are the servants of to…day。 Neptune； Vulcan； Aolus； and the
bearer of the thunderbolt himself have stepped down from their
pedestals and put on our livery。 We cannot always master them；
neither can we always master our servant； the horse； but we have put
a bridle on the wildest natural agencies。 The mob of elemental
forces is as noisy and turbulent as ever； but the standing army of
civilization keeps it well under； except for an occasional outbreak。
When I read the Lady's letter printed some time since； I could not
help honoring the feeling which prompted her in writing it。 But
while I respect the innocent incapacity of tender age and the
limitations of the comparatively uninstructed classes； it is quite
out of the question to act as if matters of common intelligence and
universal interest were the private property of a secret society；
only to be meddled with by those who know the grip and the password。
We must get over the habit of transferring the limitations of the
nervous temperament and of hectic constitutions to the great Source
of all the mighty forces of nature； animate and inanimate。 We may
confidently trust that we have over us a Being thoroughly robust and
grandly magnanimous； in distinction from the Infinite Invalid bred in
the studies of sickly monomaniacs； who corresponds to a very common
human type； but makes us blush for him when we contrast him with a
truly noble man； such as most of us have had the privilege of knowing
both in public and in private life。
I was not a little pleased to find that the Lady； in spite of her
letter； sat through the young man's reading of portions of his poem
with a good deal of complacency。 I think I can guess what is in her
mind。 She believes； as so many women do； in that great remedy for
discontent； and doubts about humanity； and questionings of
Providence； and all sorts of youthful vagaries；I mean the love…
cure。 And she thinks； not without some reason； that these
astronomical lessons； and these readings of poetry and daily
proximity at the table； and the need of two young hearts that have
been long feeling lonely； and youth and nature and 〃all impulses of
soul and sense；〃 as Coleridge has it； will bring these two young
people into closer relations than they perhaps have yet thought of；
and so that sweet lesson of loving the neighbor whom he has seen may
lead him into deeper and more trusting communion with the Friend and
Father whom he has not seen。
The Young Girl evidently did not intend that her accomplice should be
a loser by the summary act of the Member of the Haouse： I took
occasion to ask That Boy what had become of all the popguns。 He gave
me to understand that popguns were played out； but that he had got a
squirt and a whip； and considered himself better off than before。
This great world is full of mysteries。 I can comprehend the pleasure
to be got out of the hydraulic engine； but what can be the
fascination of a whip； when one has nothing to flagellate but the
calves of his own legs； I could never understand。 Yet a small
riding…whip is the most popular article with the miscellaneous New…
Englander at all great gatherings；cattle…shows and Fourth…of…July
celebrations。 If Democritus and Heraclitus could walk arm in arm
through one of these crowds； the first would be in a broad laugh to
see the multitude of young persons who were rejoicing in the
possession of one of these useless and worthless little commodities；
happy himself to see how easily others could purchase happiness。 But
the second would weep bitter tears to think what a rayless and barren
life that must be which could extract enjoyment from the miserable
flimsy wand that has such magic attraction for sauntering youths and
simpering maidens。 What a dynamometer of happiness are these paltry
toys； and what a rudimentary vertebrate must be the freckled
adolescent whose yearning for the infinite can be stayed even for a
single hour by so trifling a boon from the venal hands of the finite！
Pardon these polysyllabic reflections； Beloved； but I never
contemplate these dear fellow…creatures of ours without a delicious
sense of superiority to them and to all arrested embryos of
intelligence； in which I have no doubt you heartily sympathize with
me。 It is not merely when I look at the vacuous countenances of the
mastigophori； the whip…holders； that I enjoy this luxury （though I
would not miss that holiday spectacle for a pretty sum of money； and
advise you by all means to make sure of it next Fourth of July； if
you missed it this）； but I get the same pleasure from many similar
manifestations。
I delight in Regalia； so called； of the kind not worn by kings； nor
obtaining their diamonds from the mines of Golconda。 I have a
passion for those resplendent titles which are not conferred by a
sovereign and would not be the open sesame to the courts of royalty；
yet which are as opulent in impressive adjectives as any Knight of
the Garter's list of dignities。 When I have recognized in the every…
day name of His Very Worthy High Eminence of some cabalistic
association； the inconspicuous individual whose trifling indebtedness
to me for value received remains in a quiescent state and is likely
long to continu