i$ sharpened by the knowledge of his vulner- 

 able points and tempered by the will to use 

 that knowledge. There is the love of chil- 

 dren, which passes with time into respect or 

 acquiescence, and there is the love of his 

 friends, which does not exempt him from their 

 improving -criticism. But if, as is possible, 

 he desires a love that never falters and never 

 questions, that, misuse cannot change and even 

 cruelty cannot affect; if he is attracted by a 

 loyalty which rises into worship and flatters 

 poor human nature by investing it with god- 

 like attributes; if his complex and doubting 

 mind cares to refresh itself with the contem- 

 plation of perfect simplicity and directness; 

 if he sighs for a companionship which will as- 

 sume the burden of his faults and almost turn 

 them into virtues, which contents itself with 

 a kind look or a cheering word and does not 

 even press for these if these be his wishes, he 

 can secure them, almost without an effort on 

 his own part, from the proffered love of the 

 four-footed beasts who humbly follow his 

 2 



