and main to enhance what yet may be termed the justice, the beauty,
the reason of this our earth. They know that to penetrate deeper, to
understand, to respect--all this is enhancement. Above all, they
have faith in "the idea of the universe." They are satisfied that
every effort that tends to improvement approaches the secret
intention of life; they are taught by the failure of their noblest
endeavours, by the resistance of this mighty world, to discover anew
fresh reasons for wonder, for ardour, for hope.

As you climb up a mountain towards nightfall, the trees and the
houses, the steeple, the fields and the orchards, the road, and even
the river, will gradually dwindle and fade, and at last disappear in
the gloom that steals over the valley. But the threads of light that
shine from the houses of men and pierce through the blackest of
nights, these shine on undimmed. And every step that you take to the
summit reveals but more lights, and more, in the hamlets asleep at
your foot. For light, though so fragile, is perhaps the one thing of
all that yields naught of itself as it faces immensity. Thus it is
with our moral light too, when we look upon life from some slight
elevation. It is well that reflection should teach us to disburden
our soul of base passions; but it should not discourage, or weaken,
our humblest desire for justice, for truth, and for love.

Whence comes this rule that I thus propound? Nay, I know not myself.
To me it seems helpful and requisite; nor could I give reasons other
than spring from the feelings alone. Such reasons, however, at times
should by no means be treated too lightly. If I should ever attain a
summit whence this law seemed useless to me, I would listen to the
secret instinct bidding me not linger, but climb on still higher,
till its usefulness should once again be clearly apparent to me.