54 Latitude and Longitude 



normally he must be in sight of his followers. Cyni 

 cism in public life is a curse, and when a man has 

 lost the power of enthusiasm for righteousness it will 

 be better for him and the country if he abandons 

 public life. 



Above all, the political reformer must not permit 

 himself to be driven from his duty of supporting 

 what is right by any irritation at the men who, while 

 nominally supporting the same objects, and even 

 ridiculing him as a backslider or an "opportunist," 

 yet by their levity or fanaticism do damage to the 

 cause which he really serves, and which they profess 

 to serve. Let him disregard them ; for though they 

 are, according to their ability, the foes of decent 

 politics, yet, after all, they are but weaklings, and 

 the real and dangerous enemies of the cause he holds 

 dear are those sinister beings who batten on the 

 evil of 'our political system, and both profit by its 

 existence, and by their own existence tend to per 

 petuate and increase it. We must not be diverted 

 from our warfare with these powerful and efficient 

 corruptionists by irritation at the vain prattlers who 

 think they are at the head of the reform forces, 

 whereas they are really wandering in bypaths in the 

 rear. 



The professional impracticable, the man who 

 sneers at the sane and honest strivers after good, 

 who sneers at the men who are following, however 



