J2 PROLEGOMENON. 



and "venire de novos." To this classical gymnastics of 

 the soul, " bleeding footprints to the temple of perfection/' 

 all absolutely necessary to develop a "man of 'cute parts 

 and polished understanding," called a "business-man," 

 ADD wear and tear of heart, crucifixion of sensibility, dis- 

 appointment and despair, making life a " galling load, a 

 long, a rough, a weary road," from the enormous promises 

 of friendship, the dwarfish and ignominious failure, the 

 seductive ideal, the INFERNAL REAL, the cold water of the 

 faithless perpetually dropping, the gross weight of sand- 

 bags constantly dragging downwards, the brutal defama- 

 tion of malignant and unprincipled enemies, venomous 

 scorpions, poisoning the air and putting obstructions in 

 the path, turning life's wine to vinegar, its milk to gall; 

 whilst a crowd of infidels to the progressive expansion of 

 the universe have appeared in the arena with averted faces, 

 shrivelled hearts, and fists eternally shut upon the penny, 

 wretches without faith or hope, but with the snout of a 

 grovelling selfishness held fast in the mire of the earth. 

 And then there came in due course of heavenly experiences 

 the play of that lovely instinct which man possesses in 

 common with inferior animals, with whom he still delights 

 to " hold his bonds of ancient alliance/' and which is con- 

 stantly observable in herds of buffalo and deer, more especi- 

 ally in packs of wolves, that, with the first appearance of a 

 limp in an unfortunate brother, the whole herd attack and 

 destroy without mercy the wretch who dares to be lame. 

 It is also said to be true that " in the woods the leopard 

 knows his kind, the tiger preys not on the tiger's brood, 

 and that man only is the uncompromising foe of man." 

 "For our enemies God keeps a standing army: we can 

 manage them : but may the merciful Heavens protect and 

 defend us from our friends!" 



Was the glory or wretchedness, the majesty or meanness, 

 of the universe to unveil itself to the soul ? was fate intent 

 upon developing a misanthrope or unfolding a philan- 

 thropist? was love or hate finally to prevail? Why the 



