HIGHER LAWS. 
233 
of his genius, which are certainly true, he sees not to 
what extremes, or even insanity, it may lead him; and 
yet that way, as he grows more resolute and faithful, his 
road lies. The faintest assured objection which one 
healthy man feels will at length prevail over the argu¬ 
ments and customs of mankind. No man ever followed 
his genius till it misled him. Though the result were 
bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the 
consequences were to be regretted, for these were a life 
in conformity to higher principles. If the day and the 
night are such that you greet them with joy, and life 
emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, 
is more elastic, more starry, more immortal, — that is 
your success. All nature is your congratulation, and 
you have cause momentarily to bless yourself. The 
greatest gains and values are farthest from being appre¬ 
ciated. We easily come to doubt if they exist. We 
soon forget them. They are the highest reality. Per¬ 
haps the facts most astounding and most real are never 
communicated by man to man. The true harvest of 
my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescriba¬ 
ble as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little 
star-dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have 
clutched. 
Yet, for my part, I was never unusually squeamish ; 
I could sometimes eat a fried rat with a good relish, if 
it were necessary. I am glad to have drunk water so 
long, for the same reason that I prefer the natural sky 
to an opium-eater’s heaven. I would fain keep sober 
always; and there are infinite degrees of drunkenness. 
I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man; 
wine is not so noble a liquor; and think of dashing the 
hopes of a morning with a cup of warm coffee, or of an 
