Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-23

| likes and dislikeS, your wishes, he is
too busy turning over in his head his
own likes and dislikes and wishes. as if
the situation threatened him, he to pay
the penalty in case of failure or to
secure the rewards in case of victory.
The affair, instead of remaining yours,
becomes ais through strange alchemy.
ne Seeb called upon for an instant So
| luton, as he sees you there waiting ex-
pectantly for the pearls of wisdom. He
must not disappoint you. No, he will
not disappoint you. He never does. To
hesitate would be to lose your respect at
once. Have you not asked his advice,
and do you not expect it?
X X x
The upshot of experience along these
lines is that the sensible man turns
more and more to the integrity Of his
own mind. He knows that no one
else, no matter who he is, or how ex-
perienced, can know the half concern
ing the question that he does He re-
allies that no one else has the same in
centive for arriving at just solution.
He also feels that this solution is, after
all, largely matter of-he will not say
chance-but of the way things turn out.
If all happens for the best, he will pride
himself on his astuteness. If i'll. he
will blame no one but himself. Many
man knows we'll what fraud he is.
for the success which is his resulted
from lucky break" If it had
CHANGED otherwise. he might be out
there on the corner now selling apples
with the rest Of them.
II he is of a religious nature he will
lift his eyes to the hills whence his
help comes. He will see above the play
of day and night, above electrons
and vitamins. a guiding intelligence
which is itself not above failure. but
which more often achieves astounding
and unsurpassed success. But in neither
instance does this intelligence which
resides in all things ask outside itself
for help. 1t seeks no advice. but con-
tains within itself inexhaustible reser-
voirs Of wisdom.
The mind that stays itself on the
Eternal will feel ashamed when it falls,
as 1t so often does. to the level of seek
Ing advice from mere human agencies.
Yet these are often necessary, and
shame is good for lis upon occasion
Shame Is a sign that we have not be-
come so sophisticated that we cannot
blush for ourselves and others.
In one of the most strangely beau
tiful poems in the English language
CThe Pulley'') George Herbert shows
that it is human to seek advice, but
divine to find it rightly. We can do
no better than to end this discussion
with his beautiful lines:
When God first made man.
Having glass of blessings standing by
Let us (said He) pour on him all we
can:
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed
lie,
Contract into span.
So strength first made a way,
Then beauty fiow'd, then wisdom, honor,
pleasure;
When almost all was out, God made a
stay,
Perceiving that alone of all His treasure,
Rest in the bottom lay.
For If should (said He)
Bestow this jewel on My creature,
He would adore My gifts instead of Me.
And rest in Nature, not the God Of
Nature;
So both should losers be.
Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restless
ness;
Let him be rich and weary, that at
least,
If goodness lead him not. yet WEAKNESS
May toss him to My breast.