THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
29 
interested for the moment by such agreeable 
intercourse, so unusual in my experience, but 
when the end comes the recoil will be likely to 
push me back into the old convictions of the 
utter emptiness of life.” 
“ Oh, Charley boy,” replied his friend, that 
ground has all been gone over, and I thought 
that you had made better use of your classics 
than to play the modern Diogenes.” 
“ I know my classics,” was the answer, “ but 
they don’t help me in determining the practical 
question, whether it is the part of wisdom to play 
Stoic or Cynic. At present I am rather dis¬ 
posed to emulate the philosopher in the tub, 
and show my superior wisdom by getting away 
from the pale of so-called civilized society.” 
While young Davidson was thus stating the 
workings of his mind, his friend’s countenance 
assumed a sober aspect, and in corresponding 
tones he replied: 
“ Well, I may as well confess that my expe¬ 
rience has been much like yours whenever I 
have given myself up to sober thinking, but I 
have generally shaken off the depressing tend¬ 
ency by cherishing the hope that there is some¬ 
thing, after all, worth living for, and that by 
3* 
