HOW TO DIE 



of these mentors, surely you may not doubt that many 

 another man is moved to action by the same impulses; 

 hence your own rectitude will make you optimistic as to 

 the innate rectitude of humanity. Meantime the ex- 

 ample of your upright living will not be lost on your 

 fellows. More than one will strive to emulate it; more 

 than one will have his own sense of justice quickened 

 and strengthened; and the community at large will 

 grow in appreciation of the possibilities of human 

 nature, will have their faith in humanity exalted by 

 your example, will tend for the moment to forget the 

 harsh precepts of a cynic philosophy, and to grow in 

 optimism. 



If you have achieved such an end as that, you have 

 accomplished much in the world, though your share of 

 what is called practical success be meagre. Of course 

 it is better to succeed in your practical affairs as well. 

 But if you have built such a character as that just sug- 

 gested, you have not altogether failed, and you may 

 await the oncoming of age with philosophic serenity. 

 More than likely your broadened view has shown you 

 vistas beyond the horizon of your early ambition, teach- 

 ing you that the goals at which you aimed were by no 

 means so important as they once seemed. Time 

 deals kindly with more than one of us in that regard, 

 else old age would bring far more of bitterness than it 

 does. 



In sober reality, about the only man who may sanely 

 dread the oncoming of age is he whose ambition is 

 still fresh and whose life-work, though well under way, 

 is still far from fruition; and even he had assuredly 



[265] 



