nd degraded humanity. The great soul saw and
understood."--_Oration on Wendell Phillips by George Wm.
Curtis._

X

VISIONS THAT DISTURB CONTENTMENT

Every community holds a few happy and buoyant souls, that are so
sustained by inner hope and outer prosperity as to seem the elect
children of good fortune. These are they who are born only to the best
things, for whom, as life goes on, the years do but increase happiness
and success. For other men happiness is occasional, and life offers
now and then a bright interval, even as an open glade is found here
and there in the dark forest. Among these sunny souls, dwelling midst
constant prosperity, let us hasten to include that youth to whom
Christ made overtures of friendship. His was a frank and open nature,
his a fresh and unsullied heart. He had also a certain grace and
indescribable charm that clothed him with rare attraction. Wealth,
too, was his, and all the advantages that go therewith. Yet ease had
not enervated him, nor position made him proud. He had indeed passed
through the fierce fires of temptation, but had come out with
spotless garments.

Beholding him, Christ loved him; nor could it have been otherwise.
Some men we force ourselves to like. For reasons of finance or social
advantage, men ignore their faults, while cherishing a secret dislike.
But others are so attractive, they compel our friendship by a certain
sweet necessity. The eye must needs like the rich red rose, and the
ear can not but enjoy the sweet song. And this youth stood forth
clothed with such rare attraction that it is said Christ cast one long
lingering look of affection upon him; then widening the circle of
friendship, he offered the young ruler a place therein. It was an
overture such as Socrates made to the boy Plato; it was a proffer such
as Michael Angelo made to the poor young artist who knocked at his
door. Recalling the day when he met Goethe, Schiller was accustomed to
say his creative literary career began with Goethe's proffer of
friendship.

Carlyle tells us that each new epoch in his life began with the
acquaintance of some great man. For it is not given to books nor
business, to landscapes nor clouds nor forests, to have full power
over the living man. Only mind can quicken mind, only heart can
quicken heart. What would the youth of genius not give for the
friendship of some Bacon or Shakespeare? But when this youth won
Christ's regard, it was as if al