in a dialog to read the mind
of him who speaks to him like an open book.

"He whose thoughts are imprest vividly on the surface is always placed at
a glaring disadvantage.

"The thought of glorifying hypocrisy is far from our minds, for it has
nothing to do with the attitude which we recommend.

"The hypocrite strives to assume emotions which he does not feel.

"The man gifted with cool-headedness is intent on never allowing them
to be seen.

"It keeps his adversary in ignorance of the effect produced by his
reasoning and allows him to take his chance, until the moment when, in
spite of this feigned indifference, he reveals himself and permits his
mind to be seen.

"Now, to know the designs of a rival, when he is ignorant of those that
we have conceived, is one of the essential factors of success.

"In every way, he who is informed about the projects of his adversary
walks preceded by a torch of light, while the adversary, if he can not
divine his opponent's plans, continues to fight in darkness."

The most elementary common sense counsels then cool-headedness
when exchanging ideas, even when the discussion is of quite an
amicable nature.

From this habit there will result a very praiseworthy propensity to
exercise self-control, which is only a sort of superior cool-headedness.

It is also the cause of a noble pride, because it is more difficult to
win a victory over one's passions than to conquer ordinary enemies, and
he who, with the support of common sense, succeeds in ruling himself, can
calculate, without arrogance, the hour when he will reign over the minds
of others.

LESSON XII

COMMON SENSE DOES NOT EXCLUDE GREAT ASPIRATIONS

"A very common error," says Yoritomo, "is that which consists in
classifying common sense among the amorphous virtues, only applicable to
things and to people whose fundamental principle is materiality.

"This is a calumny which is spread broadcast by fools who scatter their
lives to the four winds of caprice and extravagance.

"Not only does common sense not exclude beauty, but it really aids in its
inception and protects its growth by maintaining the reasons which
produced its appearance.

"Without it, the reign of the most admired things would be of short
duration, granting that the want of logic had not prevented their
production.

"What is there more commendable than the love of work, devotion to
science, ambition to succeed?

"Could all this exist if c