What we want
to see is one who can breast into the world, do a man's
work, and still preserve his first and pure enjoyment
of existence.
There is apt to be something unmanly, something almost
dastardly, in a life that does not move with dash and
freedom, and that fears the bracing contact of the world.
*
You cannot run away from a weakness; you must some time
fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and
where you stand?
*
Life as a matter of fact, partakes largely of the nature of
tragedy. The gospel according to Whitman, even if it be
not so logical, has this advantage over the gospel
according to Pangloss, that it does not utterly disregard
the existence of temporal evil. Whitman accepts the fact
of disease and wretchedness like an honest man; and instead
of trying to qualify it in the interest of his optimism,
sets himself to spur people up to be helpful.
*
Indeed, I believe this is the lesson; if it is for fame
that men do brave actions, they are only silly fellows
after all.
*
To avoid an occasion for our virtues is a worse degree of
failure than to push forward pluckily and make a fall. It
is lawful to pray God that we be not led into temptation;
but not lawful to skulk from those that come to us.
*
To be honest, to be kind--to earn a little and to spend a
little less, to make upon the whole a family happier for
his presence, to renounce when that shall be necessary and
not to be embittered, to keep a few friends, but these
without capitulation--above all, on the same grim
conditions, to keep friends with himself--here is a task
for all that a man has of fortitude and delicacy.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83