The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-03
High Nests

Happy the young enthusiast who re-
mains Immortality y~oung-who tnough
he grow old loses not his enthusiasm.
/ say unto you. he has his reward.
He was twenty-and all possibilities
were in his hands--the world should
be bettered. universal peace should
reign. unjust social conditions should
be remedied, marriage -and home life
should be elevated. avarfce should
cease. literature should be purified,
science and invention should make all
human life easier and healthier and
happier. Oh, 1t was glorious to be
young and to believe in and follow
such high CLEAN. The result, more
over, was certain: this generation
should not pass away till all these
things were fulfilled.
But years passed-he grew to be
thirty. forty, fifty, and now he 10 even
older. At twenty he had built his nest
high, and soon 1t was on the ground.
Again and again no built, and again
and again It was shattered. The
world didn't really seem to care very
much to be bettered rs he had wanted
to better IL. 1t rather seemed to wish
to be let alone. Among the nations
war followed war; in business, strike
succeeded strike, women and children
still toiled and starved: wise home In
fuences grew to seem weaker and
weaker and were never so weak az to-
day; divorce and connubial unfaith-
fulness seemed more and more ram
pant every year: graft and defalcation
increase; real literature is dying out
Pan is already dead; invention has
come in plenty, but nan is not happier
or more at ease In consequence. Yet
up always has gone his nest again
and as high or higher.
In many ways, moreover, his lofty
building has not been a pleasant
thing. eithe for himself or for others.
He has been rather a pesttlent fellow
a thorn In his neighbors' flesh. to some
a crank All reformers are hard
to get along w~ith--they expect SO
much of every one. He Is a Puritan:
he is imperious; he is ~overexacting.
Let us alone" men cry. In conse-
quence, and perhaps wisely, he really
has come to be a little less self-asser-
tive and, while working still as best
he can. expects less in a short time
both from Nature and from mankind.
and even in his serener nest-building
Is never surprised when his house Is
overturned-rather Is surprised X 1t
swing even for a day or two unharm-
ed; the main thing being that he in
tends to go or rearing his sky ham,
mocks till the end. There is sweet
Hit up LIcIC, dlu 1co . Alio
spirit and his song agree:
Because I build my nest so high,
Must / despair
In fierce wind, with bitter CRY
Passes the lower branches by,
And mine makes bare?
Because I hang 1t In my pride
So near the skies,
Higher than the other nests abide,
Must I lament. II far and wide
IT shattered lies?
I shall but build. and build my best.
Till. safely won,
I hang aloft my new-made nest
High as Of old. and see 1t rest
AS near the sum-"
about, his own life7 Did he build as
high therc7 Even higher? Ought he
not? Physician, heal thyself."
At twenty he did not by n means
hold himself to be perfect. Probably
few young men do 30 hold themselves.
He knew his origin in Nature, an ami
NAL as other animals are: but more
than this, that he was spirit as spirit
Is. spirit as Natures permeating Pres
ence Is spirit. And he determined
that the animal should be the In
ferior, spirit the superior. He would
build high.
And as every young mar hnds. II
was no light matter he was taking in
curb. What was there back OF him
in hts blood and brain? What gen.
erations OF ignorance and of striving,
of high and low? What dead controls
were in him to harm or help? He did
not know. OF all this he must per-
force work in blindness. to a large
extent. But n thing he knew; he
himself would ride in the saddle. the
Fast should not ride there
Then there was the ace Of man.
kind, in,o which he was born, and
with which he must mingle-the rae
with all its ignorance and self-will
and superstitions. its alteration OF the
God of Things as They Are, with many
Of which things ne foreknew he should
be in conflict. Could he accomplish
much? He expected to accomplish
much.
High deals are apt to make a man
an uncomfortable companion and
friend. Others do not see as he does,
do not care as he does. The humblest
duties are to him important not so
to them. Fighting within-and foes
without. this is the constant lot Of the
Iidealhst.
But, as the years passed, what rue
cess? Probably every man 10 better
even than he thinks himself to be.
At any rate. 1t IL good to have strug-
gled, ana no oOuDt every ma ID war
ranted in something OF s~elf-gratula-
ton.
When / consider all my path Of life
The slight estate wherewith my
years began:
The banning but indomitable strife
To mould from crumbling clay a
lofty man;
When / recall the COLLINS OF the soul
Which hoary Credence fastened on
my youth
The Past's rude superstitions taking
toll
OF arden years which else had
served the Truth;
When still. in memory. I front the
~-,-..st. yeal a4.,=,4aaa>.a. ysar ,.7s4aa .e52stns.
with which convention blocked my
hopeful way,
And feel again, as at h earliest call,
Tha rmart Of strnkes In ErAAdom,i