high," indicating about a foot and a half of linear measurement
above the table. "It is the same story every day--a score of people
bringing their little mugs of egotism to be filled at my pump of
sympathy!"

It was a ridiculous exhibition, because one was practically sure
that there was nothing of the kind going on. One was inclined to
believe that they were mugs of sympathy filled at the pump of
egotism! But if the thing were really being done, it was certainly
worth doing!

One of the causes of the failure of nerve-force in age, which lies
behind so much of these miseries, is that people who have lived at
all active lives cannot bring themselves to realise their loss of
vigour, and try to prolong the natural energies of middle age into
the twilight of elderliness. Men and women cling to activities, not
because they enjoy them, but to delude themselves into believing
that they are still young. That terrible inability to resign
positions, the duties of which one cannot adequately fulfil, which
seems so disgraceful and unconscientious a handling of life to the
young, is often a pathetic clinging to youth. Such veterans do not
reflect that the only effect of such tenacity is partly that other
people do their work, and partly also that the critic observes that
if a post can be adequately filled by so old a man it is a proof
that such a post ought not to exist. The tendency ought to be met
as far as possible by fixing age-limits to all positions. Because
even if the old and weary do consult their friends as to the
advisability of retirement, it is very hard for the friends
cordially to recommend it. A public man once told me that a very
aged official consulted him as to the propriety of resignation. He