AslongasIdidnotrepent，Iputthequestionthus：\"WhatsphereofactivityshouldIchoose，I，themanwhohasreceivedtheeducationandthetalentswhichhavefallentomyshame？How，inthisfashion，makerecompensewiththateducationandthosetalents，forwhatIhavetaken，andforwhatIstilltake，fromthepeople？\"
Thisquestionwaswrong，becauseitcontainedafalserepresentation，totheeffectthatIwasnotamanjustlikethem，butapeculiarmancalledtoservethepeoplewiththosetalentsandwiththateducationwhichIhadwonbytheeffortsoffortyyears。
Ipropoundedthequerytomyself；but，inreality，Ihadanswereditinadvance，inthatIhadinadvancedefinedthesortofactivitywhichwasagreeabletome，andbywhichIwascalledupontoservethepeople。Ihad，infact，askedmyself：\"InwhatmannercouldI，soveryfineawriter，whohadacquiredsomuchlearningandtalents，makeuseofthemforthebenefitofthepeople？\"
ButthequestionshouldhavebeenputasitwouldhavestoodforalearnedrabbiwhohadgonethroughthecourseoftheTalmud，andhadlearnedbyheartthenumberoflettersinalltheholybooks，andallthefinepointsofhisart。Thequestionforme，asfortherabbi，shouldstandthus：\"WhatamI，whohavespent，owingtothemisfortuneofmysurroundings，theyear’sbestfittedforstudyintheacquisitionofgrammar，geography，judicialscience，poetry，novelsandromances，theFrenchlanguage，pianoforteplaying，philosophicaltheories，andmilitaryexercises，insteadofinuringmyselftolabor；whatamI，whohavepassedthebestyearsofmylifeinidleoccupationswhicharecorruptingtothesoul，——whatamItodoindefianceoftheseunfortunateconditionsofthepast，inorderthatImayrequitethosepeoplewhoduringthewholetimehavefedandclothed，yes，andwhoevennowcontinuetofeedandclotheme？\"Hadthequestionthenstoodasitstandsbeforemenow，afterIhaverepented，——\"WhatamI，socorruptaman，todo？\"theanswerwouldhavebeeneasy：\"Tostrive，firstofall，tosupportmyselfhonestly；thatis，tolearnnottoliveuponothers；andwhileIamlearning，andwhenIhavelearnedthis，torenderaidonallpossibleoccasionstothepeople，withmyhands，andmyfeet，andmybrain，andmyheart，andwitheverythingtowhichthepeopleshouldpresentaclaim。\"
AndthereforeIsay，thatforthemanofourcircle，inadditiontonotlyingtohimselfortoothers，repentanceisalsonecessary，andthatheshouldscrapefromhimselfthatpridewhichhassprungupinus，inourculture，inourrefinements，inourtalents；andthatheshouldconfessthatheisnotabenefactorofthepeopleandadistinguishedman，whodoesnotrefusetosharewiththepeoplehisusefulacquirements，butthatheshouldconfesshimselftobeathoroughlyguilty，corrupt，andgood—for—nothingman，whodesirestoreformhimselfandnottobehavebenevolentlytowardsthepeople，butsimplytoceasewoundingandinsultingthem。