e University
Machine of to-day, who go about with a nosegay of -isms, as it were,
in their lapels, and perfume their speech with the bottled logic of
the College Professor,--are not most of them incapable of honestly and
bravely grappling with the real problems of life? And does not a
systematic education mean this, that a young man must go through life
dragging behind him his heavy chains of set ideas and stock systems,
political, social, or religious? (Remember, we are translating from
the Khedivial Library MS.) The author continues:

"Whether one devour the knowledge of the world in four years
or four nights, the process of assimilation is equally
hindered, if the mind is sealed at the start with the seal of
authority. Ay, we can not be too careful of dogmatic science in
our youth; for dogmas often dam certain channels of the soul
through which we might have reached greater treasures and
ascended to purer heights. A young man, therefore, ought to be
let alone. There is an infinite possibility of soul-power in
every one of us, if it can be developed freely, spontaneously,
without discipline or restraint. There is, too, an infinite
possibility of beauty in every soul, if it can be evoked at an
auspicious moment by the proper word, the proper voice, the
proper touch. That is why I say, Go thy way, O my Brother. Be
simple, natural, spontaneous, courageous, free. Neither
anticipate your years, nor lag child-like behind them. For
verily, it is as ridiculous to dye the hair white as to dye it
black. Ah, be foolish while thou art young; it is never too late
to be wise. Indulge thy fancy, follow the bent of thy mind;
for in so doing thou canst not possibly do thyself more harm
than the disciplinarians can do thee. Live thine own life;
think thine own thoughts; keep developing and changing until
thou arrive at the truth thyself. An ounce of it found by thee
were better than a ton given to thee _gratis_ by one who
would enslave thee. Go thy way, O my Brother. And if my words
lead thee to Juhannam, why, there will be a great surprise for
thee. There thou wilt behold our Maker sitting on a flaming
glacier waiting for the like of thee. And he will take thee
into his arms and poke thee in the ribs, and together you will
laugh and laugh, until that glacier become a garden and thou
a flower therein. Go thy way, therefore; be not afraid. And no
matter how many tears thou