testbutconstantsuggestionsofhisgenius,whicharecertainlytrue,heseesnottowhatextremes,oreveninsanity,itmayleadhimandyetthatway,ashegrowsmoreresoluteandfaithful,hisroadlies.Thefaintestassuredobjectionwhichonehealthymanfeelswillatlengthprevailovertheargumentsandcustomsofmankind.Nomaneverfollowedhisgeniustillitmisledhim.Thoughtheresultwerebodilyweakness,yetperhapsnoonecansaythattheconsequencesweretoberegretted,forthesewerealifeinconformitytohigherprinciples.Ifthedayandthenightaresuchthatyougreetthemwithjoy,andlifeemitsafragrancelikeflowersandsweet-scentedherbs,ismoreelastic,morestarry,moreimmortal,—thatisyoursuccess.Allnatureisyourcongratulation,andyouhavecausemomentarilytoblessyourself.Thegreatestgainsandvaluesarefarthestfrombeingappreciated.Weeasilycometodoubtiftheyexist.Wesoonforgetthem.Theyarethehighestreality.Perhapsthefactsmostastoundingandmostrealarenevercommunicatedbymantoman.Thetrueharvestofmydailylifeissomewhatasintangibleandindescribableasthetintsofmorningorevening.Itisalittlestar-dustcaught,asegmentoftherainbowwhichIhaveclutched.
Yet,formypart,IwasneverunusuallysqueamishIcouldsometimeseatafriedratwithagoodrelish,ifitwerenecessary.Iamgladtohavedrunkwatersolong,forthesamereasonthatIpreferthenaturalskytoanopium-eater’sheaven.Iwouldfainkeepsoberalwaysandthereareinfinitedegreesofdrunkenness.Ibelievethatwateristheonlydrinkforawisemanwineisnotsonoblealiquorandthinkofdashingthehopesofamorningwithacupofwarmcoffee,orofaneveningwithadishoftea!Ah,howlowIfallwhenIamtemptedbythem!Evenmusicmaybeintoxicating.SuchapparentlyslightcausesdestroyedGreeceandRome,andwilldestroyEnglandandAmerica.Ofallebriosity,whodoesnotprefertobeintoxicatedbytheairhebreathes?Ihavefoundittobethemostseriousobjectiontocoarselaborslongcontinued,thattheycompelledmetoeatanddrinkcoarselyalso.Buttotellthetruth,Ifindmyselfatpresentsomewhatlessparticularintheserespects.Icarrylessreligiontothe