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But to repeat it once more, there are higher problems than
the problems of pleasure and pain and sympathy; and all
systems of philosophy which deal only with these are na-
ivetes.
- WE IMMORALISTS.-This world with which WE are
concerned, in which we have to fear and love, this almost
invisible, inaudible world of delicate command and delicate
obedience, a world of ‘almost’ in every respect, captious, in-
sidious, sharp, and tender—yes, it is well protected from
clumsy spectators and familiar curiosity! We are woven
into a strong net and garment of duties, and CANNOT dis-
engage ourselves—precisely here, we are ‘men of duty,’ even
we! Occasionally, it is true, we dance in our ‘chains’ and be-
twixt our ‘swords”; it is none the less true that more often
we gnash our teeth under the circumstances, and are impa-
tient at the secret hardship of our lot. But do what we will,
fools and appearances say of us: ‘These are men WITHOUT
duty,’— we have always fools and appearances against us! - Honesty, granting that it is the virtue of which we can-
not rid ourselves, we free spirits—well, we will labour at it
with all our perversity and love, and not tire of ‘perfect-
ing’ ourselves in OUR virtue, which alone remains: may
its glance some day overspread like a gilded, blue, mocking
twilight this aging civilization with its dull gloomy seri-
ousness! And if, nevertheless, our honesty should one day
grow weary, and sigh, and stretch its limbs, and find us too
hard, and would fain have it pleasanter, easier, and gentler,