190 ESOTERIC PER1PATETIC1SM. 



confer distinction. Little by little this ac- 

 complishment became general, and for this 

 long time now it has been universal ; yet 

 even to the present day it is not quite nat- 

 ural ; else why does every human infant still 

 creep on all-fours till it is taught otherwise ? 

 But of all who practise the art, only here 

 and there a single individual has divined 

 its loftier use and significance. The rest 

 are still in the materialistic stage pedes- 

 trians simply. In their view walking is only 

 a convenience, or perhaps I should say an 

 inconvenience ; a cheap device for getting 

 from one place to another. They resort to 

 it for business, or, it may be, for health. 

 Of strolling as a means of happiness they 

 have scarcely so much as heard. They be- 

 long to the great and fashionable sect of the 

 wise and prudent ; and from all such the 

 true peripatetic philosophy is forever hid- 

 den. We who are in the secret would 

 gladly publish it if we could ; but by its 

 very nature the doctrine is esoteric. 



Whoso would be initiated into its mys- 

 teries must first of all learn how not to be 

 in a hurry. Life is short, it is true, and 

 time is precious ; but a day is worth noth- 



