274 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



than that which is commonly taught in the 

 pulpits, the schools, the catechisms, and the 

 litanies of the Churches. But, as we said before, 

 such an inquiry is not possible for every man. 



In Jefferies' " Story of My Heart " we have 

 a tale half told. You may read in it, if you 

 will, the abandonment, rather than the loss, 

 of his early faith ; you cannot read in it, but 

 you shall hear, if you persist to the end of this 

 volume, how he found it again. But the man 

 who has once thrown off the old yoke of 

 Authority can never put it on again. Hence- 

 forth he stands alone, yet not alone, for he is 

 face to face with his God. 



Again, the network of custom and tradition 

 which lies around us contains all our friends 

 as well as ourselves. Those who are unlucky 

 (or lucky) enough to break through and to 

 get outside it have to separate themselves 

 from their friends ; they have to find new 

 friends which is difficult new companions, 

 at least. And then the novel position is a 

 kind of standing challenge to old friends. 

 The old equality is gone, because, if the 

 new philosopher is right, he is intellectually 



