The parent is responsible for
his child, the creator for his creature. The opposite doctrine is fit
for cowards and slaves. It comes down to us from the old days, when
fathers had the power of life and death over their children; it dies out
as we learn that the first claim is the child's, and the first duty the
parent's.

Mr. Le Gallienne's god is the old celestial despot of theology in a new
costume. On the question of a future life, however, we are pleased to
find a vein of heterodoxy and common sense. Mr. Le Gallienne asks, with
respect to the "hereafter," whether we "really care about it so much
as we imagine." We talk about meeting our old friends in heaven, for
instance, but do we not "meet them again already on earth--in the new
ones"! It is said that if fine, cultivated personalities do not survive
death, they are wasted, and have existed in vain. Mr. Le Gallienne's
reply to this objection is clear, sufficient, and well expressed:--

"But how so? Have they not been in full operation for a lifetime? 'Tis
a pity truly that the old fiddle should be broken at last; but then
for how many years has it not been discoursing most excellent music? We
naturally lament when an old piece of china is some sure day dashed to
pieces; but then for how long a time has it been delighting and refining
those, maybe long dead, who have looked upon it.--If there were no
possibility of more such fiddles, more such china, their loss would be
an infinitely more serious matter; but on this the sad-glad old Persian
admonishes us:--

.... fear not lest Existence, closing your
Account and mine, should know the like no more;
The Eternal Saki from the bowl has pour'd
Millions of Bubbles like us, and shall pour.

Nature ruthlessly tears up her replicas age after age, but she is slow
to destroy the plates. Her lovely forms are all safely housed in her
memory, and beauty and goodness sleep secure in her heart, in spite of
all the arrows of death."

Without saving what they are, or which of them he considers at all
convincing, Mr. Le Gallienne observes that the arguments as to a future
life are "probably stronger on the side of belief"--which is rather a
curious expression. But, whichever theory be true, it "does not really
much matter." Very likely. But how does this fit in with the teaching of
Christ? If he and his apostles did not believe in the "hereafter," what
_did_ they believe in? "Great is your reward in heaven,"