Chapter XXXI: Letter XXVI: The Choice of a Profession (6)

‘But we shall meet, but we shall meet,
Where parting tears shall cease to flow:
And, when I think thereon, almost I long to go!’

Note 62, page 177.

That is an unworthy opponent, who assails what assumes to be important truth, by no better argument than ridicule and sarcasm. That is a despicable one, unworthy of exciting any feelings but those of pity and contempt, who attempts to bring to bear upon it the blind and fierce prejudices of the multitude. This last is the prevalent mode of modern attack. By those, who deem that wisdom will die with them, and that they can learn nothing more, who dogmatize without examining, and measure the views of others by their own preconceived and settled opinions, all the foregoing doctrines, which militate with the established prejudices and habits of the age, will be denounced, I am aware, as heretical, imaginary, false.

‘He would teach people how to be happy,’ say they with a sneer, ‘as though they were not compelled to pursue happiness by a law of their natures.’ My business is not with such opponents, and I should consider their opposition an honor and a distinction.

The fact will remain true, be it welcomed, be it ridiculed, as it may, that a few, in all time, have found the means of being more comfortable and happy, than others in the same circumstances. They had a method of their own in creating this difference. That method might be so indicated, as to be reduced to general, and settled rules. This is the amount of the foregoing doctrines. The object has been to discuss and fix some of those rules. No moralist was ever so stupid, as to expect, that the world would not pursue its headlong course, inculcate what he might. Every one, who understands the analogy of the present to the past, will expect that no form of virtuous effort will be screened from question and ridicule; and that no purity of purpose will conquer the blind and fierce hate of the multitude.

But there will still be a few quiet, reflecting and philosophic people. What is better, the number will be always increasing. For such, are these my labors, and those, which I have adopted from another, chiefly designed. Their suffrage is an ample reward. Their plaudit is true fame. If they say, ‘we and those about us may be better and happier; let us make the effort to become so,’ my object is attained.

To encourage us to shake off the superincumbent load of indifference, ridicule, and opposition, and to make efforts to extend virtue and happiness, it is a sublime reflection, that a thought may outlive an empire. Babylon and Thebes are, now, nowhere to be found; but the moral lessons of the cotemporary wise and good, despised and disregarded, perhaps, in their day, have descended to us and are to be found everywhere. As the seminal principles of plants, borne through the wide spaces of the air by their downy wings, find at length a congenial spot, in which to settle down, and vegetate, these seeds of virtue and happiness, floating down the current of time, are still arrested, from age to age, by some kindred mind, in which they germinate, and produce their golden fruit. No intellect can conjecture, in how many instances, and to what degree, every fit moral precept may have come between the reason and passions of some one, balancing between the course of happiness and ruin, and may have inclined the scale in his favor. The consciousness of even an effort to achieve one such triumph is a sufficient satisfaction to a virtuous mind.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] E.g. Robert Owen and others of the atheistical school.

[B] These _Notes_ will be found at the end of the volume. The small numerals, in the text, refer to them.

[C] Leonidas.

[D] Themistocles.

[E] Pelopidas and Epaminondas.

[F] Marcus Junius Brutus.

[G] Regulus.

[H] Tacit. Vit. Agricolæ, _ad fin._

* * * * * *

Transcriber’s note:

The ERRATA (page vi) directs that the anchors for Notes [5] [29]
[32] and [51] be deleted, since actual Notes for these references
do not exist. However Note [51] does exist, it is Note [49] that
is missing. Therefore, anchors for [5] [29] [32] and [49] have
been deleted in this etext. The ERRATA change for page 200,
(replace “Note 5, page 44.” with “Note 6, page 45.”) has also
been made.

In addition to these four missing references, several anchors
had the same number, but referenced two separate Notes. For clarity
the duplicate anchor number has been amended with an ‘a’ suffix.
The etext now has [15] and [15a]; [21] and [21a]; [24] and [24a];
[27] and [27a]; [28] and [28a]; and [39] and [39a].

There was a single anchor [53], but two separate Notes for this
one anchor. A second anchor [53a] has been added on page 152, and
the second Note heading “Note 53, page 150.” has been changed to
“Note 53a, page 152.”

Obvious punctuation errors have been corrected after careful
comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation
of external sources.

There are numerous typographical errors in the original text which
have been corrected in the etext. These are noted below.

Except for those specific changes also noted below, all misspellings
in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.

=Typographical errors=
Page 20: =digust= changed into =disgust=
Page 20: =nto= changed into =into=
Page 23: =consisten twith= changed into =consistent with=
Page 50: =commencment= changed into =commencement=
Page 56: =associa ion= changed into =association=
Page 56: =feeleness= changed into =feebleness=
Page 61: =badethem= changed into =bade them=
Page 96: =amy= changed into =may=
Page 99: =pu= changed into =put=
Page 101: =whe= changed into =when=
Page 101: =exac= changed into =exact=
Page 156: =Themore= changed into =The more=
Page 158: =orms= changed into =forms=
Page 161: =concsious= changed into =conscious=
Page 172: =done upon upon earth= changed into =done upon earth=
Page 174: =call us= changed into =calls us=
Page 197: =corse= changed into =corpse=
Page 198: =al= changed into =all=
Page 208: =paticular= changed into =particular=
Page 211: =controling= changed into =controlling=
Page 219: =Hohenloe= changed into =Hohenlohe=
Page 225: =resolved= changed into =resolve=
Page 231: =e lfish= changed into =selfish=
Page 241: =contemptiole= changed into =contemptible=
Page 250: =permament= changed into =permanent=
Page 253: =there= changed into =their=
Page 255: =aquainted= changed into =acquainted=
Page 256: =Home, sickness= changed into =Homesickness=
Page 263: =Serviu= changed into =Servius=
Page 264: =kind cf heart,= changed into =kind of heart=
Page 267: =and and moral creation= changed into =and moral creation=
Page 273: =some times= changed into =sometimes=
Page 274: =conspicious= changed into =conspicuous=
Page 296: =corse= changed into =corpse=
Page 296: =corses= changed into =corpses=
Page 305: =weekly= changed into =weakly=

=Other changes=
Page viii: =l’Art d’Etre Heureuse= changed into =l’Art d’Etre Heureux=
Page 6: =wholly unnecessary= changed into =wholly necessary=
Page 176: =L’ART D’ETRE HEUREUSE= changed into =L’ART D’ETRE HEUREUX=
Page 185: =conscientious instructer= changed into =conscientious
instructor=
Page 193: =l’ art d’ étre heureuse= changed into =l’ art d’ étre
heureux=
Page 199: =different instructers= changed into =different instructors=
Page 213: =Bastile after= changed into =Bastille after=
Page 220: =Why drew Marseilles’s= changed into =Why drew Marseilles’=
Page 240: =eclaircissemens= changed into =éclaircissements=
Page 307: =A single asservation= changed into =A single assertation=