ion? Would it not be better to take into consideration the fact that
under such circumstances his first duty might not be to be statuesque?

When in the stern conflict we have found a champion, I think we owe him
some little encouragement. When he is doing the best he can in a very
difficult situation, we ought not to blame him because he does not act
as he would if there were no difficulties at all. "Life," said Marcus
Aurelius, "is more like wrestling than dancing." When we get that point
of view we may see that some attitudes that are not graceful may be
quite effective. It is a fine thing to say,--

"Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone,
Dare to have a purpose true
And dare to make it known."

But if I had been a Daniel and as the result of my independent action
had been cast into the den of lions, I should feel as if I had done
enough in the way of heroism for one day, and I should let other people
take their turn. If I found the lions inclined to be amiable, I should
encourage them in it. I should say, "I beg your pardon. I do not mean to
intrude. If it's the time for your afternoon nap, don't pay any
attention to me. After the excitement that I've had where I came from,
I should like nothing better than to sit down by myself in the shade and
have a nice quiet day of it."

And if the lions were agreeable, I should be glad. I should hate to have
at this moment a bland Doctrinaire look down and say, "That was a great
thing you did up there, Daniel. People are wondering whether you can
keep it up. Your friends are getting a mite impatient. They expected to
hear by this time that there was something doing down there. Stir 'em
up, Daniel! Stir 'em up!"

Perhaps at this point some fair-minded reader may say, "Is there not
something to be said in favor of the Doctrinaire? Is he not, after all,
a very useful character? How could any great reform be pushed through
without his assistance?"

Yes, dear reader, a great deal may be said in his favor. He is often
very useful. So is a snow-plough, in midwinter, though I prefer a more
flexible implement when it comes to cultivating my early peas.

There is something worse than to be a Doctrinaire who pursues an ideal
without regard to practical consideration; it is worse to be a
Philistine so immersed in practical considerations that he doesn't know
an ideal when he sees it. If the choice were between these two I should
say, "Keep on being a