knows wherein lies the welfare of others. Give him some fairy
power, inexhaustible purses or magic lamps, not, however, applying
to the mind; and see whether he could make those whom he would
favour good or happy. In the East, they have a proverb of this
kind, Happy are the children of those fathers who go to the Evil
One. But for anything that our Western experience shows, the
proverb might be reversed, and, instead of running thus, Happy are
the sons of those who have got money anyhow, it might be, Happy are
the sons of those who have failed in getting money. In fact, there
is no sound proverb to be made about it either way. We know nothing
about the matter. Our surest influence for good or evil over others
is, through themselves. Our ignorance of what is physically good
for any man may surely prevent anything like despair with regard to
that part of the fortunes of others dear to us, which, as we think,
is bound up with our own.


MORBID VIEWS OF RELIGION.

As religion is the most engrossing subject that can be presented to
us, it will be considered in all states of mind and by all minds.
It is impossible but that the most hideous and perverted views of
religion must arise. To combat the particular views which may be
supposed to cause religious despair, would be too theological an
undertaking for this essay. One thing only occurs to me to say,
namely, that the lives and the mode of speaking about themselves
adopted by the founders of Christianity, afford the best
contradiction to religious melancholy that I believe can be met
with.