The Washington herald., 1908-02-27
THE oPTIMLST.

( Perhaps one Of the things that makes
most for pessimism in this world is az
old aphorism which advises US. as men,
to avoid the appearance OF evil" It is
an old saw and. like many old things. is
held TO be wise for that very reason. bat
1 can see in II much that is mean and
vicious and. especially. cowardly. It is
all very well 10 respect public opinion up
to certain point. bur after al one can
not regulate his life by what people think
or say or do. Let a man Try ever so hard
some Of his actions are doomed to be mis-
judged, and the man who tries TO please
everybody will end in pleasing nobody
not even himself. Centuries ago Eplcte-
tus had the right word 10 say on this
subject
/ In doing aught which thou hast clearly dis
ccrned right To do seek never 10 avoid being
seen in the doing Of IT, even though the multitude
should be destined 70 form some wrong opinion
concerning It. For If thou doest not right avoid
the deed itself But # rightly. why fear those
~ho VII Wroady rebuke thee!
The whole question is one OF morality.
and while there are broad lines Of moral
ity laid down for the use of the world
and for the guidapce Of society. it VIII be
found, think, that up to a certain point
each man has 10 frame a moral code 70
suit his individual capabilities. weak
nesses. and tastes. For some men, easily
affected by IiQuor-to mention one specific
thing in morais-it may be a crime 10
drink: it makes them quarrelsome, easily
victimized by other temptations; hinders
] their work-makes them less Of men than
/ they would be. To another man liquor
! in right proportions may be help-as a
good dinner is a help. or the sparkle
! Of bright companionship. 1t is plain that
J what is moral for the one man is inn
moral for the other. and the outside
world-the world that stands aloof from
1 the souls Of these two imaginary men
/ is not competent 10 judge as 70 the
morality or immortality Of each
/ Morals or no morals. philosophy or no
/ philosophy. a man has but one thing 70
consider in this way Of life. and that is
/ how he may best walk il with profit
/ 10 the world al large 10 his fellow-men
/ and 10 the health OF his own soul AS
/ Marcus Aurelius phrased Il:
Let people talk and act as they VIII your busi-
ncss is 10 be a good man. Whatever the dignity
a human nature requires Il you. sci about ID al
once, without ifs or ~snds.' and speak always
according % your conscience. but let it be done n
terms q goOd nature. modesty. and sincerity.
The real proposition as 70 the morals
/ OF a man lies not in what effect his
moral or immoral conduct has on the
world, or what the world thinks OF il;
/ II is what effect IL has on the soul
/ Of the man himself. A man should hug
I 10 himself some such glorious statement
/ as that OF Milton
\ In az those PLACES where So mauT thinEs ar5
Z CONSIDERED lawful. lived sound and untouched
/ from any proAisaey and vice. having this though:
/ perpetualy with re, that though ! might esCapr
ihe eyes q men, ! certainly eyaid not escape The
/ eye q God.
He might web have added that he
/ could not escape his own eyes-the eyes
Z Of his own soul. Of HIS Own conscience
/ Because immortality is successfully hid
! den does not make II any less moral
/ The man who has sinned knows it, and fl
/ hurts him; il mus; hurt him and hinder
/ him in his progress through life.
/ The truth is that so far as our owl
/ salvation is concerned we must live fol
I ourselves The sins Of others cannot
harm us really. though they may seem
AT times, 10 affect our material well
! being. And as for our own attitude TO
ward the world it is well for Us 70 re
member that there IS one person on earti
and one only, for whose doing. well OF
( III. We are held espOnsible-Ourselve
. When Sir Walter Scott on his deathbeC
said 10 DoCslhart BE a good man, ny
dear" he voiced the true philosophy Of
( Bfe-it is all summed Up in that-happi
ness, content. peace in this world. anC
/ hope in the world 70 cOme-al. all ar.
/ summed up In those few words. BE
good man, my dear"