Let us not look east and west for materials of conversation, but rest
in presence and unity. A just feeling will fast enough supply fuel for discourse, if speak-
ing be more grateful than silence. When people come to see us, we foolishly prattle, lest
we be inhospitable. But things said for conversation are chalk eggs. Don't say
things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what
you say to the contrary. A lady of my acquaintance said: " I don't care so much for
what they say as I do for what makes them say it."
The main point is to throw yourself on the truth, and say with Newton, " There's no
contending against facts." When Molyneux fancied that the observations of the nutation
of the earths axis destroyed Newton's theory of gravitation, he tried to break it softly to Sir
Isaac, who only answered, "It maybe so; there's no arguing against facts and experi-
ments." But there are people who cannot be cultivated, — people on whom speech makes
no impression, — swainish, morose people, who must be kept down and quieted as you
would those who are a little tipsey; others, who are not only swainish, but are prompt to
take oath that swainishness is the only culture; and though their odd wit may have some
salt for you, your friends would not relish it. Blot these out. And beware of jokes, too
much temperance cannot be used; inestimable for sauce, but corruption for food; we
go away hollow and ashamed. As soon as the company gives in to this enjoyment,
we shall have no Olympus. True wit never made us laugh. Stay at home in
your own mind. Don't recite other people's opinions. See how it lies there in
you; and if there is no counsel, offer none.
AVhat we want is, not your activity or interference with your mind, but your content to
be a vehicle of the simple truth. The way to have large occasional views, as in a political
or social crisis, is to have large habitual views. When men consult you, it is not that
they wish you to stand tiptoe, and pump your brains, but to apply your habitual view, your
wisdom, to the present question, for bearing all pedantries, and the very name of argument;
for in good conversation parties don't speak to the words, but to the meanings of
each other.
TO-DAY.
Trust no future ; howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead !
Act, — act in the livmg Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !
— LONGFELLOW.
1
The days are made on a loom whereof the warp
and woof are past and future time. They are
majestically dressed, as if every god brought a
thread to the skyey web.
<t / * OETHE says somewhere that one should contrive every day to hear some good
\Tf music, to look at a beautiful picture, and if possible, to speak a few sensible words."
" He only is rich who owns the day." There is no king, rich man, fairy, or
demon who possesses such power as that. The days are ever divine as to the first Aryans.
They are of the least pretention, and of the greatest capacity of anything that exists.
They come and go like muffled and veiled figures, sent from a distant friendly party;
but they say nothing; and if we don't use the gifts they bring, they carry them as
silently away.
Page 27
Presented as published in 1891. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Let us not look east and west for materials of conversation, but rest in presence and unity. A just feeling will fast enough supply fuel for discourse, if speaking be more grateful than silence. When people come to see us, we foolishly prattle, lest we be inhospitable. But things said for conversation are chalk eggs. Don't say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. A lady of my acquaintance said: " I don't care so much for what they say as I do for what makes them say it."
The main point is to throw yourself on the truth, and say with Newton, " There's no contending against facts." When Molyneux fancied that the observations of the nutation of the earths axis destroyed Newton's theory of gravitation, he tried to break it softly to Sir Isaac, who only answered, "It maybe so; there's no arguing against facts and experiments." But there are people who cannot be cultivated, — people on whom speech makes no impression, — swinish, morose people, who must be kept down and quieted as you would those who are a little tipsy; others, who are not only swainish, but are prompt to take oath that swinishness is the only culture; and though their odd wit may have some salt for you, your friends would not relish it. Blot these out. And beware of jokes, too much temperance cannot be used; inestimable for sauce, but corruption for food; we go away hollow and ashamed. As soon as the company gives in to this enjoyment, we shall have no Olympus. True wit never made us laugh. Stay at home in your own mind. Don't recite other people's opinions. See how it lies there in you; and if there is no counsel, offer none.
What we want is, not your activity or interference with your mind, but your content to be a vehicle of the simple truth. The way to have large occasional views, as in a political or social crisis, is to have large habitual views. When men consult you, it is not that they wish you to stand tiptoe, and pump your brains, but to apply your habitual view, your wisdom, to the present question, for bearing all pedantries, and the very name of argument; for in good conversation parties don't speak to the words, but to the meanings of each other.
TO-DAY.
Trust no future ; howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead ! Act, — act in the livmg Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !
— LONGFELLOW.
The days are made on a loom whereof the warp and woof are past and future time. They are majestically dressed, as if every god brought a thread to the skyey web.
<t / * OETHE says somewhere that one should contrive every day to hear some good
\Tf music, to look at a beautiful picture, and if possible, to speak a few sensible words."
" He only is rich who owns the day." There is no king, rich man, fairy, or
demon who possesses such power as that. The days are ever divine as to the first Aryans.
They are of the least pretention, and of the greatest capacity of anything that exists.
They come and go like muffled and veiled figures, sent from a distant friendly party; but they say nothing; and if we don't use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away.