336 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



honest toiler and the impostor, the thief and the rogue, 

 each and all respectively find pleasure in the particular 

 walk of life he elects to take ? " Each to the favourite 

 happiness attends." When God gave manna to His people, 

 every Israelite found in it what best pleased him. " The 

 young tasted bread, the old honey, and the children oil." 

 No doubt an expert burglar feels as keen a sense of joy 

 in the planning and execution of a deed of darkness de- 

 manding originality, skill, daring and resourcefulness, as 

 does the humane surgeon in the performance of an opera- 

 tion for the salvation of a valuable life, or as does his 

 lordship the bishop in the delivery of a homily overflowing 

 with persuasive eloquence. The burglar has his apprecia- 

 tion of pleasure, and the others theirs ; and so long as the 

 pleasures of the individual are not immoral and dishonour- 

 able, do not trespass upon the rights and liberties of others, 

 let each pursue that which allures. 



In the long run he will find himself responsible to 

 himself ; and if his days have been ill spent, and his oppor- 

 tunities slighted, his the punishment and the remorse. 

 But 



" If the day and the night are such that you greet them with 

 joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented 

 herbs, is more elastic, more starry, more immortal that is your 

 success." 



COLSTON AND CO. LTD., PRINTERS, EDINBURGH 



