presses forward eternally, can ever find any satisfaction at all.
The will is careless of the individual: the individual is not its
business; although, as I have said, this seems to be the case, because
the individual has no direct consciousness of will except in himself.
The effect of this is to make the individual careful to maintain his
own existence; and if this were not so, there would be no surety
for the preservation of the species. From all this it is clear that
individuality is not a form of perfection, but rather of limitation;
and so to be freed from it is not loss but gain. Trouble yourself no
more about the matter. Once thoroughly recognize what you are, what
your existence really is, namely, the universal will to live, and the
whole question will seem to you childish, and most ridiculous!

_Thrasymachos_. You're childish yourself and most ridiculous, like
all philosophers! and if a man of my age lets himself in for a
quarter-of-an-hour's talk with such fools, it is only because it
amuses me and passes the time. I've more important business to attend
to, so Good-bye.




PSYCHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.


There is an unconscious propriety in the way in which, in all European
languages, the word _person_ is commonly used to denote a human
being. The real meaning of _persona_ is _a mask_, such as actors were
accustomed to wear on the ancient stage; and it is quite true that no
one shows himself as he is, but wears his mask and plays his part.