Mahomets wife stood by him throughgood and evil
report, even when he married a younger woman. Hesmiled, remarking that Id find lots
to say as soon as I was on myfeet.
Not only are the laws uncodified, butthey are at
sixes and sevens.
To walkhumbly is not a becoming attitude for
men.
Every code of morals will have to take into account
peculiarities ofrace.
Of BenJonson, Aubrey writes: I have heard Mr. Here
myagreement with Wells comes to an end.
French literature, Isaid, has become the
world-literature of today because it isoutspoken, free. Now all this, it seems to
me, is false, and a libel on humanity of theworst. Nunes, the great man, can do
nothingbut leave the country of the blind no wiser than he entered it. Let us begin,
then,with a study of morals. Thou hast great allies, Thy friends are exultations,
agonies And love and mans unconquerable mind. He would get no reward for this, bare
thanks.
What is to be said of our modern morality, the
rules of health whichwe are now supposed to observe? But how can we arrive at a
natural code, a code in close conformitywith the nature of things? I had almost said
the only epic weEnglish-speaking people possess. Still,after reading both the
historians, our knowledge of the great man issadly meager and scrappy. Every code of
morals will have to take into account peculiarities ofrace.
In the same way we study the Mosaic commendations.
In a letter the other day I was asked why I praised Hans
ChristianAnderson.
His first attempt, I think, was a failure. Whatan
impotent and disappointing conclusion! He cannot fix foreternity an individual by
his special features. The story itself is extraordinary and of course
extraordinarily welltold.
Not only are the laws uncodified, butthey are at
sixes and sevens. Clearly theHebraic precepts are not binding on us; nor in
themselves perhaps veryadmirable.
Let us see if a modern comparison will helpus. Did
he fall in love in youth or was his wife his onlyaffection?
About Sir William Davenant Aubrey makesthis remark:
I was at his funeral.
They used massage and dry rubbing inpreference to
cold dips and douches.