It was painful
to feel that I did not believe one word of what a Christian minister
said. What a network man seems to have made of the simplest things,
wherein to be everlastingly confounded. Might one just look up and
reach out overhead, instead of looking around one and trying to grope
at one's level. Truths made intangible by the impenetrable meshes of
faulty creeds and imperfect reasoning."

Ashantee 1899.

"Please do not worry about me. I told you that I was peaceful and
content, which I am. I want nothing which I cannot get and my mind
is reposeful. I do not care to understand anything. That I have got
to accept whatever may come is manifest and the wherefore has ceased
to trouble me, if it ever did. In the instances that have thus far
come up in my life, what I should do has always been palpable enough
and has required more determination or will. My inclination is to do
as little as I can to maintain my peace of conscience. While I have
no feeling of lassitude, I also feel no incentive, and while without
this one need not fail utterly, one will not probably accomplish
much."

"I don't believe there are many happy lives. Mama gave me more
happiness in the given number of years than I shall ever have again,
though doubtless, if I live long enough, I shall have some more happy
moments. This is to be supposed. But all this matters so very, very
little."

"I don't think that out of what is anything better is going to be."

"The external situation in general is not bad and as far as I can
see, the trouble lies in the natures of the individuals and is more
or less beyond remedy. The tragedy arriving from trying to unite in
action and purpose where in mind and heart and soul there is no
union, no mutual illumination, no mutual comprehension of the point
of view, will be everlasting. 'Constater et accepter' and the sooner
to 'constater' correctly, the sooner futile struggle ends."

"Goodnight. I neither weep nor laugh and I am glad to go to bed;
might be a good deal worse off, if I had no bed."

Ashantee 1899.

"I have lots of things to talk to you about but I don't know where to
begin. I want to say one thing that I think, which is that I think
it is very difficult to judge practically when a too analytical
definition of a condition or state is substituted for the ordinary
and worldly vernacular. I think one must often fall into error from
too great an attempt of metaphysical accuracy (precision), for
whateve