THE ACT OF LIFE. 69 



perfume in smelling, with music in hearing, and with 

 all the world in seeing ; and what would we, what 

 can we have more than that ? 



Thus, as the ACT OF LIFE is, as it were, not a matter 

 measurable in duration, the quantity of happiness 

 that we enjoy is not a sum of measurable durations ; 

 and thus it has nothing to do with time, in the com- 

 mon way of estimating it by the visible motion of 

 visible matter. It is said or fabled of the ancient 

 Scythians, that they slew the wise in order to in- 

 herit their wisdom, and the strong in order to inherit 

 their strength ; but if we would only use our senses 

 our powers of observation aright, we might in- 

 herit the wisdom and the strength of all past ages, 

 as well as those of the present, and even behold and 

 grasp forward into futurity without ever injuring a 

 hair of any living creature. In that way an observ- 

 ant man may and does actually concentrate more 

 enjoyment into one brief hour, nay, into one im- 

 measurable moment, than a dull and careless man 

 drawls out of his threescore and ten years. And it 

 is in the observation of nature only that this un- 

 bounded happiness, this happiness which time cannot 

 measure or space bound, is to be found out. All that 

 is of human making or human possession is mea^ 

 surable, and we speedily get. to the end of its plea- 

 sure ; but, even in this world, the pleasure of nature is 

 absolutely to our fondest wish infinite and eternal. 



