"It is self-love, my friend," answered the old man, "that gives to
most of us our greatest energy in life. We work ardently, taxing all
our powers, in the accomplishment of some end. A close
self-examination will, in most cases, show us that self is the
main-spring of all this activity. Now, I hold, that in just so far
as this is the case, our efforts are misapplied."

"But did you not just admit that the world was benefited by all
active labour, even if the worker toiled selfishly? How, then, can
the labour be misapplied?"

"Can you not see that, if every man worked with the love of
benefiting the world in his heart, more good would be effected than
if he worked only for himself?"

"Oh, yes."

"And that he would have a double reward, in the natural compensation
that labour receives, and in the higher satisfaction of having done
good."

"Yes."

"To work for a lower end, then, is to misapply labour, so far as the
man is concerned. He robs himself of his own highest reward, while
Providence bends the efforts he makes, and causes them to effect
good uses to the neighbour he would, in too many cases, rather
insure than benefit."