for the moment)
that we had better leave these great changes to what we call blind
forces; their blindness being so much more perspicacious than the
little, peering, partial eyesight of men. I seem to see that my
own scheme would not answer; and all the other schemes I ever heard
propounded would depress some elements of goodness just as much as they
encouraged others. Now I know that in thus turning Conservative with
years, I am going through the normal cycle of change and travelling in
the common orbit of men's opinions.

Those who go the devil in youth, with anything like a fair chance, were
probably little worth saving from the first; they must have been feeble
fellows--creatures made of putty and pack-thread, without steel or fire,
anger or true joyfulness, in their composition; we may sympathise with
their parents, but there is not much cause to go into mourning for
themselves; for to be quite honest, the weak brother is the worst of
mankind.

*****

The follies of youth have a basis in sound reason, just as much as
the embarrassing questions put by babes and sucklings. Their most
anti-social acts indicate the defects of our society. When the torrent
sweeps the man against a boulder, you must expect him to scream, and you
need not be surprised if the scream is sometimes a theory. ... But it
is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to emit a scream
in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars
and incongruities of life and take everything as it comes in a forlorn
stupidity. Some people swallow the universe like a pill; they travel
on through the world, like smiling images pushed from behind. For God's
sake give me the young man who has brains enough to make a fool of
himself! As for the others, the irony of facts shall take it out of
their hands, and make fools of them in downright earnest, ere the farce
be over. There shall be such a mopping and a mowing at the last day, and
such blushing and confusion of countenance for all those who have been
wise in their own esteem, and have not learnt the rough lessons that
youth hands on to age. If we are indeed here to perfect and complete
our own natures, and grow larger, stronger, and more sympathetic against
some nobler career in the future, we had all best bestir ourselves to
the utmost while we have the time. To equip a dull, respectable person
with wings would be but to make a parody of an angel.

*****

Had he but talked--talk