back, have
done. Hence these sorrows.

What a People are the poor Thibet idolaters, compared with us and
our "religions," which issue in the worship of King Hudson as our
Dalai-Lama! They, across such hulls of abject ignorance, have seen into
the heart of the matter; we, with our torches of knowledge everywhere
brandishing themselves, and such a human enlightenment as never was
before, have quite missed it. Reverence for Human Worth, earnest devout
search for it and encouragement of it, loyal furtherance and obedience
to it: this, I say, is the outcome and essence of all true "religions,"
and was and ever will be. We have not known this. No; loud as our
tongues sometimes go in that direction, we have no true reverence
for Human Intelligence, for Human Worth and Wisdom: none, or too
little,--and I pray for a restoration of such reverence, as for the
change from Stygian darkness to Heavenly light, as for the return
of life to poor sick moribund Society and all its interests. Human
Intelligence means little for most of us but Beaver Contrivance, which
produces spinning-mules, cheap cotton, and large fortunes. Wisdom,
unless it give us railway scrip, is not wise.

True nevertheless it forever remains that Intellect is the real object
of reverence, and of devout prayer, and zealous wish and pursuit, among
the sons of men; and even, well understood, the one object. It is the
Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth men understanding. For it must
be repeated, and ever again repeated till poor mortals get to discern
it, and awake from their baleful paralysis, and degradation under foul
enchantments, That a man of Intellect, of real and not sham Intellect,
is by the nature of him likewise inevitably a man of nobleness, a man
of courage, rectitude, pious strength; who, even _because_ he is and has
been loyal to the Laws of this Universe, is initiated into _discernment_
of the same; to this hour a Missioned of Heaven; whom if men follow, it
will be well with them; whom if men do not follow, it will not be well.
Human Intellect, if you consider it well, is the exact summary of Human
_Worth_; and the essence of all worth-ships and worships is reverence
for that same. This much surprises you, friend Peter; but I assure you
it is the fact;--and I would advise you to consider it, and to try
if you too do not gradually find it so. With me it has long been an
article, not of "faith" only, but of settled insight, of conviction as
to what