The Comfort of Old Clothes. 239 



beyond my power. I do not criticise my neigh- 

 bors, but I do ask and insist for myself flexi- 

 bility of covering, and indulge in no end of 

 honest, outspoken profanity when I cannot 

 have it. We do not value our independence 

 sufficiently. The world is not yet powerful 

 enough to down genuine talent. To a certain 

 extent every man can be a law unto himself 

 and yet not a failure in the race of life. His 

 clothing can come within the limit. Let him 

 wear his coat honestly. Let his proper self 

 shine through that coat to the pleasure and 

 profit of his friends, and the antique cut of the 

 garment will not be an eyesore unto them. If 

 it is, then your coat more than yourself is 

 valued, and your friends can be dispensed with 

 without serious loss to yourself. He who is re- 

 belliously disposed and possesses an inquiring 

 mind will be astonished at the reception such 

 views will meet with from his fellow-freemen. 

 Free ? However smooth the current, let but the 

 tiniest twig fall upon it and its surface is ruf- 

 fled ; so the bare mention of a counter-current 

 thought disturbs at once the placid serenity of 

 our spiritless compliance to whatsoever has been 



