270 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



portant subject which can occupy the mind. 

 To some men very young men especially 

 it seems an easy thing to question and to go on 

 following the questions to their logical end. 

 An older man knows better ; he has learned, 

 perhaps by his own experience, that to carry 

 on unto the end such an inquiry, fearless of 

 whither it may lead, is an act requiring very 

 great courage, clearness and strength of mind, 

 and carelessness of other men's opinion. It is, 

 in fact, an act which to begin and to carry 

 through is beyond the courage and the mental 

 powers of most. I do not mean the so-called 

 intellectual process gone through by every 

 young man who takes up the common carping 

 and girding at received forms of religion, and 

 boldly declares among an admiring circle that 

 he renounces them all I mean a long, patient, 

 and wholly reverent inquiry by whatever line 

 or lines may be possible to a man. For it 

 must not be forgotten that, though there are 

 many lines of independent research and in- 

 quiry, there are few men to whom even one 

 is actually possible. This, however, we do 

 not openly acknowledge; every person, how- 



