n had spoken: reverenced pictures and stones, instead of
truths; letters and laws, instead of acts, and forever, in various
madness of fantastic desolation, kneels in the temple while it crucifies
the Christ.

285. On the other hand, to reason resisting superstition, we owe the
entire compass of modern energies and sciences; the healthy laws of
life, and the possibilities of future progress. But to infidelity
resisting religion (or which is often enough the case, taking the mask
of it), we owe sensuality, cruelty, and war, insolence and avarice,
modern political economy, life by conservation of forces, and salvation
by every man's looking after his own interest; and, generally,
whatsoever of guilt, and folly, and death, there is abroad among us. And
of the two, a thousand-fold rather let us retain some color of
superstition, so that we may keep also some strength of religion, than
comfort ourselves with color of reason for the desolation of
godlessness. I would say to every youth who entered our schools--Be a
Mahometan, a Diana-worshiper, a Fire-worshiper, Root-worshiper, if you
will; but at least be so much a man as to know what worship means. I had
rather, a million-fold rather, see you one of those "quibus haec
nascuntur in hortis numina," than one of those "quibus haec _non_
nascuntur in cordibus lumina"; and who are, by everlasting orphanage,
divided from the Father of Spirits, who is also the Father of lights,
from whom cometh every good and perfect gift.

286. "So much of man," I say, feeling profoundly that all right exercise
of any human gift, so descended from the Giver of good, depends on the
primary formation of the character of true manliness in the youth--that
is to say, of a majestic, grave, and deliberate strength. How strange
the words sound; how little does it seem possible to conceive of
majesty, and gravity, and deliberation in the daily track of modern
life. Yet, gentlemen, we need not hope that our work will be majestic if
there is no majesty in ourselves. The word "manly" has come to mean
practically, among us, a schoolboy's character, not a man's. We are, at
our best, thoughtlessly impetuous, fond of adventure and excitement;
curious in knowledge for its novelty, not for its system and results;
faithful and affectionate to those among whom we are by chance cast, but
gently and calmly insolent to strangers: we are stupidly conscientious,
and instinctively brave, and always ready to cast away the