fore such
men, were the waters to open and death to hesitate, what were
righteousness or heroism then? Would not the true happiness of virtue
be destroyed? virtue that is happy because it is noble and pure, that
is noble and pure because it desires no reward? There may be human joy
in doing good with definite purpose, but they who do good expecting
nothing in return know a joy that is divine. Where we do evil our
reasons mostly are known to us, but our good deed becomes the purer for
our ignorance of its motive. Would we know how to value the righteous
man, we have but to question him as to the motives of his
righteousness. He will probably be the most truly righteous who is
least ready with his answer. Some may suppose that as intellect widens
many a motive for heroism will be lost to the soul; but it should be
borne in mind that the wider intellect brings with it an ideal of
heroism loftier and more disinterested still. And this much at least is
certain: he who thinks that virtue stands in need of the approval of
destiny or of worlds, has not yet within him the veritable sense of
virtue. Truly to act well we must do good because of our craving for
good, a more intimate knowledge of goodness being all we expect in
return. "With no witness save his heart alone," said St. Just. In the
eyes of a God there must surely be marked distinction between the soul
of the man who believes that the rays of a virtuous deed shall shine
through furthest space, and the soul of the other who knows they
illumine his heart alone. There may be greater momentary strength in
the overambitious truth, but the strength that is brought by the humble
human truth is far more earnest and patient. Is it wiser to be as the
soldier who imagines that each blow he strikes brings victory nearer,
or as the other who knows his little account in the combat but still
fights sturdily on? The upright man would scorn to deceive his
neighbour, but is ever unduly inclined to regard some measure of
self-deception as inseparable from his ideal.

If there were profit in virtue, then would the noblest of men be
compelled to seek happiness elsewhere; and God would destroy their main
object in life were He to reward them often. Nothing is indispensable,
perhaps, or even necessary; and it may be that if the joy of doing good
for sake of good were taken from the soul, it would find other, purer
joys; but in the meantime, it is the most beautiful joy we know,
therefore le