much thought there is in it, and the kind of thought it
is. We want to know if goodness is expressed; if the best work of the
man is before us, or if, for a lower reason, his selfishness and
vanity are most prominent. And let us remember that as we seek these
things in the works of others, so others of thoughtful kind will watch
our doings, our playing, our speech, our little habits, and all to see
what our intentions are each time we express ourselves. They will look
to see what thoughts we are putting into our doings, whether thoughts
of goodness or of selfishness. And our actions will always be just as
good as the thought we put into them.

Now a great and a common mistake is, that sometimes we hope by some
mysterious change, as in a fairy tale, that they will be better than
what we intend. But in the first days let us learn that this is not
possible.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CLASSICS.[26]

"Genuine work done faithfully, that is eternal."--_Thomas Carlyle._

The older we grow and the more we study, the more we shall hear about
the classics, about classic music, and classic art, and classic books.
From the beginning let us keep it in our minds that one of our duties
is to find out the difference between what is classic and what is not.
Then we shall have a proper understanding. An English writer on art
says: "The writers and painters of the classic school set down nothing
but what is known to be true, and set it down in the perfectest manner
possible in their way."[27]

And we have already learned that thought from the heart, expressed in
tones, is good music. On the other hand, a thought with the heart not
in it, expressed in tone, makes poor or common music. Mendelssohn
wrote in one of his letters: "When I have composed a piece just as it
springs from my heart, then I have done my duty toward it."[28] But in
writing thoughts, whether in words or in tones, there is a very
important thing to add to the bidding of the heart. It is the training
of the mind. With both of these one works and judges wisely.

With thought and intention ever so pure, but with no education, one
would not be able to write for others, and with a little education one
would be able to write only in a partially correct way. This brings us
to one of the most interesting Talks we shall have. Let us try to make
it clear and simple.

We can easily imagine a man both true and good who can neither write
nor spell. Happily, in these days,