t ever was
driven. For it is only the finite that has wrought and suffered; the
infinite lies stretched in smiling repose.

The intellectual life may be kept clean and healthful if man will live
the life of nature and not import into his mind difficulties which are
none of his. No man need be perplexed in his speculations. Let him do
and say what strictly belongs to him, and though very ignorant of books,
his nature shall not yield him any intellectual obstructions and doubts.
Our young people are diseased with the theological problems of original
sin, origin of evil, predestination and the like. These never presented
a practical difficulty to any man,--never darkened across any man's road
who did not go out of his way to seek them. These are the soul's mumps
and measles and whooping-coughs, and those who have not caught them
cannot describe their health or prescribe the cure. A simple mind will
not know these enemies. It is quite another thing that he should be able
to give account of his faith and expound to another the theory of his
self-union and freedom. This requires rare gifts. Yet without this
self-knowledge there may be a sylvan strength and integrity in that
which he is. "A few strong instincts and a few plain rules" suffice us.

My will never gave the images in my mind the rank they now take. The
regular course of studies, the years of academical and professional
education have not yielded me better facts than some idle books under
the bench at the Latin School. What we do not call education is more
precious than that which we call so. We form no guess, at the time
of receiving a thought, of its comparative value. And education often
wastes its effort in attempts to thwart and balk this natural magnetism,
which is sure to select what belongs to it.

In like manner our moral nature is vitiated by any interference of our
will. People represent virtue as a struggle, and take to themselves
great airs upon their attainments, and the question is everywhere vexed
when a noble nature is commended, whether the man is not better who
strives with temptation. But there is no merit in the matter. Either God
is there or he is not there. We love characters in proportion as they
are impulsive and spontaneous. The less a man thinks or knows about
his virtues the better we like him. Timoleon's victories are the best
victories, which ran and flowed like Homer's verses, Plutarch said. When
we see a soul whose acts are all rega