ana 



it the peace and resignation it brings, is not a 

 product of the selection of the fittest to lead us 

 on to the goal of our destiny. 



All the same, there is little fortitude or heroism 

 in taking every opportunity to air one's discon- 

 tent openly when no special object of direct ad- 

 vancement can be served thereby, especially when 

 that discontent is less with one's self than with 

 the circumstances in which one lives, caused, per- 

 haps, or contributed to, by one's own short-sight- 

 edness, selfishness, and folly. The discontent of 

 those whose objects in life are confined to their 

 own insatiable craving for pleasure outside their 

 natural surroundings is not the useful and valu- 

 able quality I speak of and must not be con- 

 founded with it. 



It seems easy to say that the circumstances sur- 

 rounding us may be brought about by our own 

 folly, and so they may. But what is folly, and 

 what is wisdom, absolute? Is there any real 

 standard, not conditional or conventional, by 

 means of which wisdom and folly can be meas- 

 ured, defined, and separated from one another? 



Adherence to what is usually called principle 

 141 



