nsels which he knew so
well how to give in all attractiveness of allegory, when, suddenly, he
paused to describe a part of the land where the gardener's industry was
less apparent.

Here parasitic plants had, by means of their tendrils, crept up the
shrubbery and stifled the greater part of its flowers.

Only a few of them reached the center of the crowded bunches of the grain
stalks and of the trailing vines that interlaced the tiny bands which
held them against the wall.

One plant alone, of somber blossom and rough leaves, was able to flourish
even in close proximity to the wild verdure. It seemed that this plant
had succeeded in avoiding the dangerous entanglements of the poisonous
plants because of its tenacious and fearless qualities, at the same time
its shadow was not welcome to the useless and noxious creeping plants.

"Behold, my son," said the Sage, "and learn how to understand the
teachings of nature: The parasitic plants represent negligence against
the force of which the best of intentions vanish."

Energy, however, succeeds in overcoming these obstacles which increase
daily; it marks out its course among entanglements and rises from the
midst of the most encumbered centers, beautiful and strong.

Ambition and audacity show themselves also after having passed through
thousands of difficulties and having overcome them all.

Common sense rarely needs to strive; it unfolds itself in an atmosphere
of peace, far from the tumult of obstructions and snares that are not
easily avoided.

Its flower is less alluring than many others, but it never allows itself
to be completely hidden through the wild growth of neighboring branches.

It dominates them easily, because it has always kept them at a distance.

Modest but self-sustaining, it is seen blossoming far from the struggles
which always retard the blossoming of plants and which render their
flowering slower and, at times, short-lived.

A most absurd prejudice has occasionally considered common sense to be an
inferior quality of mind.

This error arises from the fact that it can adapt itself as well to the
most elevated conceptions as to the most elemental mentalities.

To those who possess common sense is given the faculty of placing
everything in its proper rank.

It does not underestimate the value of sentiments by attributing to them
an exaggerated importance.

It permits us to consider fictitious reasons with reservation and of
resolutely re