Themathematicalhemade，Isay，exceptionof：numberandmeasurehebelievedintotheextentoftheirsignificance，butthatsignificance，hewasneverwearyofremindingyou，wasslendertothevergeofnonentity。Sciencewastrue，becauseittoldusalmostnothing。Withafewabstractionsitcoulddeal，anddealcorrectly;conveyinghonestlyfainttruths。Applyitsmeanstoanyconcretefactoflife，andthishighdialectofthewisebecameachildishjargon。
Thustheatheisticyouthwasmetateveryturnbyascepticismmorecompletethanhisown，sothattheveryweaponsofthefightwerechangedinhisgrasptoswordsofpaper。Certainlythechurchisnotright，hewouldargue，butcertainlynottheanti—churcheither。Menarenotsuchfoolsastobewhollyinthewrong，noryetaretheysoplacedastobeeverwhollyintheright。
Somewhere，inmidairbetweenthedisputants，likehoveringVictoryinsomedesignofaGreekbattle，thetruthhangsundiscerned。Andinthemeanwhilewhatmattertheseuncertainties？Rightisveryobvious;agreatconsentofthebestofmankind，aloudvoicewithinus（whetherofGod，orwhetherbyinheritance，andinthatcasestillfromGod），guideandcommandusinthepathofduty。Hesawlifeverysimple;hedidnotloverefinements;hewasafriendtomuchconformityinunessentials。For（hewouldargue）itisinthislifeasitstandsaboutus，thatwearegivenourproblem;themannersofthedayarethecoloursofourpalette;theycondition，theyconstrainus;andamanmustbeverysureheisintheright，must（inafavouritephraseofhis）be’eitherverywiseorveryvain，’tobreakwithanygeneralconsentinethics。Iremembertakinghisadviceuponsomepointofconduct。’Now，’hesaid，’howdoyousupposeChristwouldhaveadvisedyou？’andwhenIhadansweredthathewouldnothavecounselledmeanythingunkindorcowardly，’No，’hesaid，withoneofhisshrewdstrokesattheweaknessofhishearer，’noranythingamusing。’Laterinlife，hemadelesscertaininthefieldofethics。’Theoldstoryoftheknowledgeofgoodandevilisaverytrueone，’Ifindhimwriting;
only（hegoeson）’theeffectoftheoriginaldoseismuchwornout，leavingAdam’sdescendantswiththeknowledgethatthereissuchathing—butuncertainwhere。’Hisgrowingsenseofthisambiguitymadehimlessswifttocondemn，butnolessstimulatingincounsel。’Yougrantyourselfcertainfreedoms。Verywell，’hewouldsay，’Iwanttoseeyoupayforthemsomeotherway。Youpositivelycannotdothis：thentherepositivelymustbesomethingelsethatyoucando，andIwanttoseeyoufindthatoutanddoit。’Fleemingwouldneversufferyoutothinkthatyouwereliving，iftherewerenot，somewhereinyourlife，sometouchofheroism，todoortoendure。
Thiswashisrarestquality。Faroninmiddleage，whenmenbegintoliedownwiththebestialgoddesses，ComfortandRespectability，thestringsofhisnaturestillsoundedashighanoteasayoungman’s。Helovedtheharshvoiceofdutylikeacalltobattle。Helovedcourage，enterprise，bravenatures，abraveword，anuglyvirtue;everythingthatliftsusabovethetablewhereweeatorthebedwesleepupon。Thiswithnotouchofthemotive—mongerortheascetic。Helovedhisvirtuestobepractical，hisheroestobegreateatersofbeef;helovedthejovialHeracles，lovedtheastuteOdysseus;nottheRobespierresandWesleys。Afinebuoyantsenseoflifeandofman’sunequalcharacterranthroughallhisthoughts。Hecouldnottoleratethespiritofthepick—thank;