, but you
must please note that I have not intimated that you couldn't; and, in
fact, the point of what I say rests on the assumption that you could.
Moreover, in regard to other people, you will notice that this letter is
not addressed to them; and, if any of them should happen to see it, they
can put on the garment if it fits, or they can leave it alone,--it is all
one to me.

But how can we bring this about? how tell what things you have been used
to keep and what to give up? how keen a desire it is well to quell, and
which ones? To reach this point, it is necessary to digress again in order
to find the element of the magic touchstone which will tell us whether the
thing we are looking at is made of gold or some baser metal.

You must first have a look at our objective points, and try to analyze
these a little bit. Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness. These are
somewhat intermingled, as we consider liberty an essence of happiness. We
also want health, and all that conduces thereto, particularly cleanliness
and exercise. We want a fair amount of amusement and a good amount of
work. We want the sense of being useful and the sense of being respected.
This people will accord us if we are striving to accomplish some of the
innumerable things which people want to have done. There is, of course, a
higher field for man's energy,--that of striving for things which mankind
ought to want for and doesn't; the position of the martyr or reformer, who
works for the welfare of the people and receives ill-treatment for it,
like Christ. But, while we all of us hope we would not be found wanting,
were the demand made, we cannot help joining with Kipling in the wish
"which I 'ope it won't 'appen to me."

Accordingly, while I am not blind to disagreeable but necessary
possibilities, you will see that, if I digress to satisfy each one of
them, I shall never reach the point, which no doubt in your mind by this
time is the end; and so you must not pick flaws if I make statements which
cover the probable, but not all the possible, contingencies.

We have found, then, that we want employment which will somehow add to the
welfare of the human race; and is not this well worth doing? If you make
something of that nature your object, and keep it fully before your mind,
how much better off you will be than if you have continually in mind your
own amusement, your own comfort! If you have your amusement as your life
object, you will soon beco