112 Company and Solitude 



continually reminding the hearer that it is 

 himself who speaks, and speaks only for 

 himself. I think, I believe, I know ; good, 

 wholesome expressions, these, that lead to no 

 misconceptions. But it is claimed that exces- 

 sive egotism is tiresome, is inelegant, is evi- 

 dence of limited intellectuality. Well, it is 

 honesty, it is truthfulness, it is the operation 

 of your own mind, boundless or limited. We 

 were better off, as prehistoric folk, when 

 selfishness was a more marked feature of 

 humanity. The mischief of egotism that 

 has been claimed arises from misconception 

 of self, the incurable malady of feeble minds ; 

 of such as the law gives freedom at twenty- 

 one, but which are truly infantile at three- 

 score and ten. Have you encountered no 

 such minds? Do not speak hastily. An 

 affirmative answer is an admission that you 

 are blind. 



To do ourselves justice, to fit us to our 

 niche, so that no vacant space shows about 

 us, we must be busy with ourselves, and de- 

 mand K> be excused when weaklings call for 

 a division of our strength. I did not invite 

 myself to this world. He would be a fool 

 who should do that, if it were possible ; but 



