hearts, being willing to be severe with ourselves; not to be deceitful
in our own eyes; not to guard the outer act, but the inner thought;
not to study nor to be what _seems_, but what _is_.[59] This may seem
a long and roundabout way of learning to play music, but it is the
honest, straightforward way of going to the great masters whom we wish
to know.

In one of the books of the Greek general, Xenophon,[60] Socrates is
made to say that men do nothing without fire; and quite in the same
way we may learn nothing of each other, especially of those greater
than ourselves, without thought; which should be pure, strong,
inquiring, and kind. With this we may do all.

Thus far we have two principles. Let us review them:

I. Thoughts become actions.

II. Good music being the fruit of good thought can be played rightly
only by one who thinks good thoughts.

Now, is it not clear that this can come about only when we watch over
our own thoughts and govern them as if they were the thoughts of
others? And when we do not so much as _endure_ the thought of harm or
evil or wrong we shall be living in the spirit of the Roman lady whose
son's life was lived as his mother taught.




CHAPTER XVIII.