themwithoutbetrayingmyimpurity.Wediscoursefreelywithoutshameofoneformofsensuality,andaresilentaboutanother.Wearesodegradedthatwecannotspeaksimplyofthenecessaryfunctionsofhumannature.Inearlierages,insomecountries,everyfunctionwasreverentlyspokenofandregulatedbylaw.NothingwastootrivialfortheHindoolawgiver,howeveroffensiveitmaybetomoderntaste.Heteacheshowtoeat,drink,cohabit,voidexcrementandurine,andthelike,elevatingwhatismean,anddoesnotfalselyexcusehimselfbycallingthesethingstrifles.
Everymanisthebuilderofatemple,calledhisbody,tothegodheworships,afterastylepurelyhisown,norcanhegetoffbyhammeringmarbleinstead.Weareallsculptorsandpainters,andourmaterialisourownfleshandbloodandbones.Anynoblenessbeginsatoncetorefineaman’sfeatures,anymeannessorsensualitytoimbrutethem.
JohnFarmersatathisdooroneSeptemberevening,afterahardday’swork,hismindstillrunningonhislabormoreorless.Havingbathed,hesatdowntore-createhisintellectualman.Itwasarathercoolevening,andsomeofhisneighborswereapprehendingafrost.Hehadnotattendedtothetrainofhisthoughtslongwhenheheardsomeoneplayingonaflute,andthatsoundharmonizedwithhismood.Stillhethoughtofhisworkbuttheburdenofhisthoughtwas,thatthoughthiskeptrunninginhishead,andhefoundhimselfplanningandcontrivingitagainsthiswill,yetitconcernedhimverylittle.Itwasnomorethanthescurfofhisskin,whichwasconstantlyshuffledoff.Butthenotesoftheflutecamehometohisearsoutofadifferentspherefromthatheworkedin,andsuggestedworkforcertainfacultieswhichslumberedinhim.Theygentlydidawaywiththestreet,andthevillage,andthestateinwhichhelived.Avoicesaidtohim,—Whydoyoustayhereandlivethismeanmoilinglife,whenagloriousexistenceispossibleforyou?Thosesamestarstwinkleoverotherfieldsthanthese.—Buthowtocomeoutofthisconditionandactuallymigratethither?Allthathecouldthinkofwastopractisesomenewausterity,tolethisminddescendintohisbodyandredeemit,andtreathimselfwitheverincreasingrespect.