Tome，unfortunatelyperhapsforIspeakmerelyofindividualtaste，acatisawildanimal。AcatisNaturepersonified。LikeNature，itissomysteriousthatonecannotquitereposeeveninitsbeauty。ButlikeNatureagain，itissobeautifulthatonecannotbelievethatitisreallycruel。Perhapsitisn't；andthereagainitislikeNature。Menofoldtimeworshippedcatsastheyworshippedcrocodiles；andthosemagnificentoldmysticsknewwhattheywereabout。Themomentinwhichonereallylovescatsisthesameasthatinwhichonemoderatelyandwithinreasonlovescrocodiles。Itisthatdivineinstantwhenamanfeelshimself——no，notabsorbedintotheunityofallthingsaloathsomefancy——butdelightinginthedifferenceofallthings。Atthemomentwhenamanreallyknowsheisamanhewillfeel，howeverfaintly，akindoffairy-talepleasureinthefactthatacrocodileisacrocodile。Allthemorewillheexultinthethingsthataremoreevidentlybeautifulthancrocodiles，suchasflowersandbirdsandeats——whicharemorebeautifulthaneither。Butitdoesnotfollowthathewillwishtopickalltheflowersortocageallthebirdsortoownallthecats。
　　Noonewhostillbelievesindemocracyandtherightsofmanwilladmitthatanydivisionbetweenmenandmencanbeanythingbutafancifulanalogytothedivisionbetweenmenandanimals。ButinthesphereofsuchfancifulanalogythereareevenhumanbeingswhomIfeeltobelikeeatsinthisrespect:thatIcanlovethemwithoutlikingthem。Ifeelitaboutcertainquaintandaliensocieties，especiallyabouttheJapanese。TheexquisiteoldJapanesedraughtsmanshipofwhichweshallseenomore，nowJapanhasgoneinforProgressandImperialismhadaqualitythatwasinfinitelyattractiveandintangible。Japanesepictureswerereallyratherlikepicturesmadebycats。Theywerefulloffeatherysoftnessandofsuddenandspiritedscratches。Ifanyonewillwanderinsomegalleryfortunateenoughtohaveafinecollectionofthoseslightwater-coloursketchesonricepaperwhichcomefromtheremoteEast，hewillobservemanyelementsinthemwhichafancifulpersonmightconsiderfeline。Thereis，forinstance，thatoddenjoymentofthetopsoftrees；thoseairytraceriesofforksandfadingtwigs，uptowhichcertainlynoartist，butonlyacatcouldclimb。Thereisthatelvishloveofthefullmoon，aslargeandlucidasaChineselantern，hunginthesetenuousbranches。Thatmoonissolargeandluminousthatonecanimagineahundredcatshowlingunderit。Thenthereistheexhaustivetreatmentoftheanatomyofbirdsandfish；subjectsinwhichcatsaresaidtobeinterested。Thenthereistheslantingcat-likeeyeofalltheseEasterngodsandmen——butthisisgettingaltogethertoocoincident。Weshallhaveanotherracialtheoryinnotimebeginning"AretheJapsCats？"，andthoughIshallnotbelieveinmytheory，somebodyelsemight。Therearepeopleamongmyesteemedcorrespondentswhomightbelieveanything。ItisenoughformetosayherethatinthissmallrespectJapsaffectmelikecats。ImeanthatIlovethem。Ilovetheirquaintandnativepoetry，theirinstinctofeasycivilisation，theiruniqueunreplaceableart，thetestimonytheybeartothebustling，irrepressibleactivitiesofnatureandman。IfIwerearealmysticlookingdownonthemfromarealmountain，IamsureIshouldlovethemmoreeventhanthestrongwingedandunweariedbirdsorthefruitful，ever-
　　multiplyingfish。But，asforlikingthem，asonelikesadog——thatisquiteanothermatter。Thatwouldmeantrustingthem。
　　IntheoldEnglishandScotchballadsthefairiesareregardedverymuchinthewaythatIfeelinclinedtoregardJapsandcats。Theyarenotspeciallyspokenofasevil；theyareenjoyedaswitchingandwonderful；
　　buttheyarenottrustedasgood。Youdonotsaythewrongwordsorgivethewronggiftstothem；andthereisacurioussilenceaboutwhatwouldhappentoyouifyoudid。Nowtome，Japan，theJapanofArt，wasalwaysafairyland。Whattreesasgayasflowersandpeaksaswhiteasweddingcakes；whatlanternsaslargeashousesandhousesasfrailaslanterns!……but……but……themissionaryexplainedIreadinthepaperthattheassertionanddenialabouttheJapaneseuseoftorturewasamerematterofverbaltranslation。"TheJapanesewouldnotcalltwistingthethumbsback'torture。'"
　　THECHARTEREDLIBERTINE
　　IfindmyselfinagreementwithMr。RobertLyndforhismostjustremarkinconnectionwiththeMalatestacase，thatthepolicearebecomingaperiltosociety。IhavenoattractiontothatsortofatheistasceticismtowhichthepurertypesofAnarchismtend；butbothanatheistandanasceticarebettermenthanaspy；anditisignominioustoseeone'scountrythuslosingherspecialpointofhonouraboutasylumandliberty。Itwillbequiteanewdepartureifwebegintoprotectandwhitewashforeignpolicemen。IalwaysunderstooditwasonlyEnglishpolicemenwhowereabsolutelyspotless。Agoodmanyofus，however，havebeguntofeelwithMr。Lynd，andonallsidesauthoritiesandofficialsarebeingquestioned。Butthereisonemostgraphicandextraordinaryfact，whichitdidnotlieinMr。Lynd'swaytotouchupon，butwhichsomebodyreallymustseizeandemphasise。Itisthis:thatattheverytimewhenweareallbeginningtodoubttheseauthorities，wearelettinglawspasstoincreasetheirmostcapriciouspowers。Allourcommissions，petitions，andletterstothepapersareaskingwhethertheseauthoritiescangiveanaccountoftheirstewardship。Andatthesamemomentallourlawsaredecreeingthattheyshallnotgiveanyaccountoftheirstewardship，butshallbecomeyetmoreirresponsiblestewards。BillsliketheFeeble-MindedBillandtheInebriateBillveryappropriatenamesforthemactuallyarmwithscorpionsthehandthathaschastisedtheMalatestasandMaleckaswithwhips。Theinspector，thedoctor，thepolicesergeant，thewell-paidpersonwhowritescertificatesand"passes"this，that，ortheother；thissortofmanisbeingtrustedwithmoreauthority，apparentlybecauseheisbeingdoubtedwithmorereason。
　　InoneroomweareaskingwhytheGovernmentandthegreatexpertsbetweenthemcannotsailaship。InanotherroomwearedecidingthattheGovernmentandexpertsshahbeallowed，withouttrialordiscussion，toimmureanyone'sbody，damnanyone'ssoul，anddisposeofunborngenerationswiththelevityofapagangod。Weareputtingtheofficialonthethronewhileheisstillinthedock。
　　Themeremeaningofwordsisnowstrangelyforgottenandfalsified；aswhenpeopletalkofanauthor's"message，"withoutthinkingwhomitisfrom；andIhavenotedintheseconnectionsthestrangemisuseofanotherword。Itistheexcellentmediaevalword"charter。”IremembertheActthatsoughttosavegutter-boysfromcigaretteswascalled"TheChildren'sCharter。”SimilarlytheActwhichseekstolockupaslunaticspeoplewhoarenotlunaticswasactuallycalleda"charter"ofthefeeble-minded。Nowthisterminologyisinsanelywrong，eveniftheBillsareright。Evenweretheyrightintheorytheywouldbeappliedonlytothepoor，likemanybetterrulesabouteducationandcruelty。A
　　womanwaslatelypunishedforcrueltybecauseherchildrenwerenotwashedwhenitwasprovedthatshehadnowater。FromthatitwillbeaneasystepinAdvancedThoughttopunishingamanforwine-bibbingwhenitisprovedthathehadnowine。Riftsinrightreasonwidendowntheages。
　　Andwhenwehavebegunbyshuttingupaconfessedlykindpersonforcruelty，wemayyetcometoshuttingupMr。TomMannforfeeble-
　　mindedness。
　　Butevenifsuchlawsdogoodtochildrenoridiots，itiswrongtousetheword"charter。”Acharterdoesnotmeanathingthatdoesgoodtopeople。Itmeansathingthatgrantspeoplemorerightsandliberties。
　　Itmaybeagoodthingforgutter-boystobedeprivedoftheircigarettes:
　　itmightbeagoodthingforaldermentobedeprivedoftheircigars。
　　ButIthinktheGoldsmiths'CompanywouldbeverymuchsurprisediftheKinggrantedthemanewcharterinplaceoftheirmediaevalcharter，anditonlymeantthatpolicemenmightpullthecigarsoutoftheirmouths。Itmaybeagoodthingthatalldrunkardsshouldbelockedup:
　　andmanyacutestatesmen"KingJohn，forinstancewouldcertainlyhavethoughtitagoodthingifallaristocratscouldbelockedup。Buteventhatsomewhatcynicalprincewouldscarcelyhavegrantedtothebaronsathingcalled"theGreatCharter"andthenlockedthemalluponthestrengthofit。Ifhehad，thisinterpretationoftheword"charter"
　　wouldhavestruckthebaronswithconsiderablesurprise。Idoubtiftheirnarrowmediaevalmindscouldhavetakenitin。
　　TherootsoftherealEnglandareintheearlyMiddleAges，andnoEnglishmanwilleverunderstandhisownlanguageorevenhisownconsciencetillheunderstandsthem。Andhewillneverunderstandthemtillheunderstandsthisword"charter。”Iwillattemptinamomenttostateinolder，moresuitableterms，whatacharterwas。Inmodern，practical，andpoliticalterms，itisquiteeasytostatewhatacharterwas。AcharterwasthethingthattherailwayworkerswantedlastChristmasanddidnotget；andapparentlywillneverget。Itiscalledinthecurrentjargon"recognition"；theacknowledgmentinsomanywordsbysocietyoftheimmunitiesorfreedomsofacertainsetofmen。
　　IftherehadbeenrailwaysintheMiddleAgestherewouldprobablyhavebeenarailwaymen'sguild；anditwouldhavehadacharterfromtheKing，definingtheirrights。Acharteristheexpressionofanideastilltrueandthenalmostuniversal:thatauthorityisnecessaryfornothingsomuchasforthegrantingofliberties。Likeeverythingmediaeval，itramifiedbacktoarootinreligion；andwasasortofsmallcopyoftheChristianideaofman'screation。Manwasfree，notbecausetherewasnoGod，butbecauseitneededaGodtosethimfree。Byauthorityhewasfree。Byauthoritythecraftsmenoftheguildswerefree。Manyothergreatphilosopherstookandtaketheotherview:theLucretianpagans，theMoslemfatalists，themodernmonistsanddeterminists，allroughlyconfinethemselvestosayingthatGodgavemanalaw。ThemediaevalChristianinsistedthatGodgavemanacharter。Modernfeelingmaynotsympathisewithitslistofliberties，whichincludedthelibertytobedamned；butthathasnothingtodowiththefactthatitwasagiftoflibertiesandnotoflaws。Thiswasmirrored，howeverdimly，inthewholesystem。Therewasagreatdealofgrossinequality；andinotheraspectsabsoluteequalitywastakenforgranted。Butthepointisthatequalityandinequalitywereranks——orrights。Therewerenotonlythingsonewasforbiddentodo；butthingsonewasforbiddentoforbid。
　　Amanwasnotonlydefinitelyresponsible，butdefinitelyirresponsible。
　　Theholidaysofhissoulwereimmovablefeasts。Allacharterreallymeantlingersaliveinthatpoeticphrasethatcallsthewinda"chartered"libertine。
　　Lieawakeatnightandhearthewindblowing；hearitknockateveryman'sdoorandshoutdowneveryman'schimney。Feelhowittakeslibertieswitheverything，havingtakenprimarylibertyforitself；feelthatthewindisalwaysavagabondandsometimesalmostahousebreaker。
　　Butrememberthatinthedayswhenfreemenhadcharters，theyheldthatthewinditselfwaswildbyauthority；andwasonlyfreebecauseithadafather。
　　THECONTENTEDMAN
　　Thewordcontentisnotinspiringnowadays；ratheritisirritatingbecauseitisdull。ItpreparesthemindforalittlesermoninthestyleoftheVicarofWakefieldabouthowyouandIshouldbesatisfiedwithourcountrifiedinnocenceandoursimplevillagesports。Theword，however，hastwomeanings，somewhatsingularlyconnected；the"sweetcontent"ofthepoetandthe"cubiccontent"ofthemathematician。Somedistinguishthesebystressingthedifferentsyllables。Thus，itmighthappentoanyofus，atsomesocialjuncture，toremarkgaily，"OfthecontentoftheKingoftheCannibalIslands'StewpotIamcontenttobeignorant"；or"Notcontentwithmeasuringthecubiccontentofmysafe，youarestealingthespoons。”Andtherereallyisananalogybetweenthemathematicalandthemoraluseoftheterm，forlackoftheobservationofwhichthelatterhasbeenmuchweakenedandmisused。
　　Thepreachingofcontentmentisindisrepute，welldeservedinsofarthatthemoralisreallyquiteinapplicabletotheanarchyandinsaneperilofourtallandtopplingcities。Contentsuggestssomekindofsecurity；anditisnotstrangethatourworkersshouldoftenthinkaboutrisingabovetheirposition，sincetheyhavesocontinuallytothinkaboutsinkingbelowit。Thephilanthropistwhourgesthepoortosavingandsimplepleasuresdeservesallthederisionthathegets。Toadvisepeopletobecontentwithwhattheyhavegotmayormaynotbesoundmoralphilosophy。
　　Buttourgepeopletobecontentwithwhattheyhaven'tgotisapieceofimpudencehardforeventheEnglishpoortopardon。Butthoughthecreedofcontentisunsuitedtocertainspecialriddlesandwrongs，itremainstrueforthenormalofmortallife。Wespeakofdivinediscontent；
　　discontentmaysometimesbeadivinething，butcontentmustalwaysbethehumanthing。Itmaybetruethatapar-titularman，inhisrelationtohismasterorhisneighbour，tohiscountryorhisenemies，willdowelltobefiercelyunsatisfiedorthirstingforanangryjustice。Butitisnottrue，nosanepersoncancallittrue，thatmanasawholeinhisgeneralattitudetowardstheworld，inhisposturetowardsdeathorgreenfields，towardstheweatherorthebaby，willbewisetocultivatedissatisfaction。Inabroadestimateofourearthlyexperience，thegreattruismonthetabletremains:hemustnotcovethisneighbour'soxnorhisassnoranythingthatishis。Inhighlycomplexandscientificcivilisationshemaysometimesfindhimselfforcedintoanexceptionalvigilance。But，then，inhighlycomplexandscientificcivilisations，ninetimesoutoften，heonlywantshisownassback。
　　ButIwishtourgethecaseforcubiccontent；inwhichevenmorethaninmoralcontentItakeapersonalinterest。Now，moralcontenthasbeenundervaluedandneglectedbecauseofitsseparationfromtheothermeaning。Ithasbecomeanegativeratherthanapositivething。Insomeaccountsofcontentmentitseemstobelittlemorethanameekdespair。
　　Butthisisnotthetruemeaningoftheterm；itshouldstandfortheideaofapositiveandthoroughappreciationofthecontentofanything；
　　forfeelingthesubstanceandnotmerelythesurfaceofexperience。
　　"Content"oughttomeaninEnglish，asitdoesinFrench，beingpleased；
　　placidly，perhaps，butstillpositivelypleased。Beingcontentedwithbreadandcheeseoughtnottomeannotcaringwhatyoueat。Itoughttomeancaringforbreadandcheese；handlingandenjoyingthecubiccontentofthebreadandcheeseandaddingittoyourown。Beingcontentwithanatticoughtnottomeanbeingunabletomovefromitandresignedtolivinginit。Itoughttomeanappreciatingwhatthereistoappreciateinsuchaposition；suchasthequaintandelvishslopeoftheceilingorthesublimeaerialviewoftheoppositechimney-pots。Andinthissensecontentmentisarealandevenanactivevirtue；itisnotonlyaffirmative，butcreative。Thepoetintheatticdoesnotforgettheatticinpoeticmusings；herememberswhatevertheattichasofpoetry；
　　herealiseshowhigh，howstarry，howcool，howunadornedandsimple——inshort，howAtticistheattic。
　　Truecontentmentisathingasactiveasagriculture。Itisthepowerofgettingoutofanysituationallthatthereisinit。Itisarduousanditisrare。Theabsenceofthisdigestivetalentiswhatmakessocoldandincrediblethetalesofsomanypeoplewhosaytheyhavebeen"through"things；whenitisevidentthattheyhavecomeoutontheothersidequiteunchanged。Amanmighthavegone"through"aplumpuddingasabulletmightgothroughaplumpudding；itdependsonthesizeofthepudding——andtheman。Buttheawfulandsacredquestionis"Hasthepuddingbeenthroughhim？"Hashetasted，appreciated，andabsorbedthesolidpudding，withitsthreedimensionsanditsthreethousandtastesandsmells？Canheofferhimselftotheeyesofmenasonewhohascubicallyconqueredandcontainedapudding？
　　Inthesamewaywemayaskofthosewhoprofesstohavepassedthroughtrivialortragicexperienceswhethertheyhaveabsorbedthecontentofthem；whethertheylickedupsuchlivingwaterastherewas。Itisapertinentquestioninconnectionwithmanymodernproblems。
　　Thustheyounggeniussays，"IhavelivedinmydrearyandsqualidvillagebeforeIfoundsuccessinParisorVienna。”Thesoundphilosopherwillanswer，"Youhaveneverlivedinyourvillage，oryouwouldnotcallitdrearyandsqualid。”
　　ThustheImperialist，theColonialidealistwhocommonlyspeaksandalwaysthinkswithaYankeeaccentwillsay，"I'vebeenrightawayfromtheselittlemuddyislands，andseenGod'sgreatseasandprairies。”Thesoundphilosopherwillreply，"Youhaveneverbeenintheeislands；youhaveneverseenthewealdofSussexortheplainofSalisbury；otherwiseyoucouldneverhavecalledthemeithermuddyorlittle。”
　　ThustheSuffragettewillsay，"Ihavepassedthroughthepaltrydutiesofpotsandpans，thedrudgeryofthevulgarkitchen；butIhavecomeouttointellectualliberty。”Thesoundphilosopherwillanswer，"Youhaveneverpassedthroughthekitchen，oryouneverwouldcallitvulgar。
　　Wiserandstrongerwomenthanyouhavereallyseenapoetryinpotsandpans；naturally，becausethereisapoetryinthem。”ItisrightforthevillageviolinisttoclimbintofameinParisorVienna；itisrightforthestrayEnglishmantoclimbacrossthehighshoulderoftheworld；itisrightforthewomantoclimbintowhatevercathedraeorhighplacesshecanallowtohersexualdignity。Butitiswrongthatanyoftheseclimbersshouldkicktheladderbywhichtheyhaveclimbed。Butindeedthesebitterpeoplewhorecordtheirexperiencesreallyrecordtheirlackofexperiences。ItisthecountrymanwhohasnotsucceededinbeingacountrymanwhocomesuptoLondon。Itistheclerkwhohasnotsucceededinbeingaclerkwhotriesonvegetarianprinciplestobeacountryman。
　　Andthewomanwithapastisgenerallyawomanangryaboutthepastsheneverhad。
　　Whenyouhavereallyexhaustedanexperienceyoualwaysreverenceandloveit。Thetwothingsthatnearlyallofushavethoroughlyandreallybeenthrougharechildhoodandyouth。Andthoughwewouldnothavethembackagainonanyaccount，wefeelthattheyarebothbeautiful，becausewehavedrunkthemdry。
　　THEANGRYAUTHOR:HISFAREWELL
　　Ihaverepublishedalltheseoldarticlesofminebecausetheycoveraverycontroversialperiod，inwhichIwasinnearlyallthecontroversies，whetherIwasvisiblethereorno。AndIwishtogatherupintothislastarticleavaledictoryviolenceaboutallsuchthings；andthenpasstowhere，beyondthesevoices，thereispeace——orinotherwords，tothewritingofPennyDreadfuls；anobleandmuch-neededwork。ButbeforeI
　　finallydeserttheillusionsofrationalismfortheactualitiesofromance，Ishouldverymuchliketowriteonelastroaring，ragingbooktellingalltherationalistsnottobesoutterlyirrational。Thebookwouldbesimplyastringofviolentvetoes，liketheTenCommandments。I
　　wouldcallit"Don'tsforDogmatists；orThingsIamTiredOf。”
　　Thisbookofintellectualetiquette，likemostbooksofetiquette，wouldbeginwithsuperficialthings；buttherewouldbe，Ifancy，awailingimprecationinthewordsthatcouldnotbecalledartificial；itmightbeginthus:-1Don'tuseanounandthenanadjectivethatcrossesoutthenoun。Anadjectivequalifies，itcannotcontradict。Don'tsay，"Givemeapatriotismthatisfreefromallboundaries。”Itislikesaying，"Givemeaporkpiewithnoporkinit。”Don'tsay，"Ilookforwardtothatlargerreligionthatshallhavenospecialdogmas。”Itislikesaying，"Ilookforwardtothatlargerquadrupedwhoshallhavenofeet。”Aquadrupedmeanssomethingwithfourfeet；andareligionmeanssomethingthatcommitsamantosomedoctrineabouttheuniverse。
　　Don'tletthemeeksubstantivebeabsolutelymurderedbythejoyful，exuberantadjective。
　　2Don'tsayyouarenotgoingtosayathing，andthensayit。Thispracticeisveryflourishingandsuccessfulwithpublicspeakers。Thetrickconsistsoffirstrepudiatingacertainviewinunfavourableterms，andthenrepeatingthesameviewinfavourableterms。Perhapsthesimplestformofitmaybefoundinalandlordofmyneighbourhood，whosaidtohistenantsinanelectionspeech，"OfcourseI'mnotgoingtothreatenyou，butifthisBudgetpassestherentswillgoup。”Thethingcanbedoneinmanyformsbesidesthis。"Iamthelastmantomentionpartypolitics；butwhenIseetheEmpirerentinpiecesbyirresponsibleRadicals，"etc。"Inthishallwewelcomeallcreeds。Wehavenohostilityagainstanyhonestbelief；butonlyagainstthatblackpriestcraftandsuperstitionwhichcanacceptsuchadoctrineas，"etc。
　　"IwouldnotsayonewordthatcouldruffleourrelationswithGermany。
　　ButthisIwillsay；thatwhenIseeceaselessandunscrupulousarmament，"etc。Pleasedon'tdoit。Decidetomakearemarkornottomakearemark。Butdon'tfancythatyouhavesomehowsoftenedthesayingofathingbyhavingjustpromisednottosayit。
　　3Don'tusesecondarywordsasprimarywords。"Happiness"letussay
　　isaprimaryword。Youknowwhenyouhavethething，andyoujollywellknowwhenyouhaven't。"Progress"isasecondaryword；itmeansthedegreeofone'sapproachtohappiness，ortosomesuchsolidideal。Butmoderncontroversiesconstantlyturnonasking，"DoesHappinesshelpProgress？"Thus，IseeintheNewAgethisweekaletterfromMr。
　　EgertonSwann，inwhichhewarnstheworldagainstmeandmyfriendMr。
　　Belloc，onthegroundthatourdemocracyis"spasmodic"whateverthatmeans；whileour"reactionismissettledandpermanent。”ItneverstrikesMr。Swarmthatdemocracymeanssomethinginitself；while"reactionism"meansnothing——exceptinconnectionwithdemocracy。Youcannotreactexceptfromsomething。IfMr。SwannthinksIhaveeverreactedfromthedoctrinethatthepeopleshouldrule，Iwishhewouldgivemethereference。
　　4Don'tsay，"Thereisnotruecreed；foreachcreedbelievesitselfrightandtheotherswrong。”Probablyoneofthecreedsisrightandtheothersarewrong。Diversitydoesshowthatmostoftheviewsmustbewrong。Itdoesnotbythefaintestlogicshowthattheyallmustbewrong。IsupposethereisnosubjectonwhichopinionsdifferwithmoredesperatesinceritythanaboutwhichhorsewillwintheDerby。Thesearecertainlysolemnconvictions；menriskruinforthem。ThemanwhoputshisshirtonPotosimustbelieveinthatanimal，andeachoftheothermenputtingtheirlastgarmentsuponotherquadrupedsmustbelieveinthemquiteassincerely。Theyareallserious，andmostofthemarewrong。Butoneofthemisright。Oneofthefaithsisjustified；oneofthehorsesdoeswin；notalwayseventhedarkhorsewhichmightstandforAgnosticism，butoftentheobviousandpopularhorseofOrthodoxy。
　　Democracyhasitsoccasionalvictories；andeventheFavouritehasbeenknowntocomeinfirst。Butthepointhereisthatsomethingcomesinfirst。Thatthereweremanybeliefsdoesnotdestroythefactthattherewasonewell-foundedbelief。Ibelievemerelyuponauthoritythattheworldisround。Thattheremaybetribeswhobelieveittobetriangularoroblongdoesnotalterthefactthatitiscertainlysomeshape，andthereforenotanyothershape。ThereforeIrepeat，withthewailofimprecation，don'tsaythatthevarietyofcreedspreventsyoufromacceptinganycreed。
　　Itisanunintelligentremark。5Don'tifanyonecallsyourdoctrinemad，whichislikelyenough，don'tanswerthatmadmenareonlytheminorityandthesaneonlythemajority。Thesanearesanebecausetheyarethecorporatesubstanceofmankind；theinsanearenotaminoritybecausetheyarenotamob。Themanwhothinkshimselfamanthinksthenextmanaman；hereckonshisneighbourashimself。Butthemanwhothinksheisachickendoesnottrytolookthroughthemanwhothinksheisglass。ThemanwhothinkshimselfJesusChristdoesnotquarrelwiththemanwhothinkshimselfRockefeller；aswouldcertainlyhappenifthetwohadevermet。Butmadmennevermeet。Itistheonlythingtheycannotdo。Theycantalk，theycaninspire，theycanfight，theycanfoundreligions；buttheycannotmeet。Maniacscanneverbethemajority；forthesimplereasonthattheycanneverbeevenaminority。Iftwomadmenhadeveragreedtheymighthaveconqueredtheworld。
　　6Don'tsaythattheideaofhumanequalityisabsurd，becausesomemenaretallandsomeshort，somecleverandsomestupid。AttheheightoftheFrenchRevolutionitwasnoticedthatDantonwastallandMuratshort。
　　InthewildestpopularexcitementofAmericaitisknownthatRockefellerisstupidandthatBryanisclever。Thedoctrineofhumanequalityreposesuponthis:Thatthereisnomanreallycleverwhohasnotfoundthatheisstupid。Thatthereisnobigmanwhohasnotfeltsmall。Somemenneverfeelsmall；butthesearethefewmenwhoare。
　　7Don'tsayOdon'tsaythatPrimitiveManknockeddownawomanwithaclubandcarriedheraway。Whyonearthshouldhe？Doesthemalesparrowknockdownthefemalesparrowwithatwig？Doesthemalegiraffeknockdownthefemalegiraffewithapalmtree？Whyshouldthemalehavehadtouseanyviolenceatanytimeinordertomakethefemaleafemale？
　　Whyshouldthewomanrollherselfinthemirelowerthanthesowortheshe-bear；andprofesstohavebeenaslavewhereallthesecreatureswerecreators；whereallthesebeastsweregods？Donottalksuchbosh。I
　　imploreyou，Isupplicateyounottotalksuchbosh。Utterlyandabsolutelyabolishallsuchbosh——andwemayyetbegintodiscussthesepublicquestionsproperly。ButIfearmylistofprotestsgrowstoolong；
　　andIknowitcouldgrowlongerforever。Thereadermustforgivemyelongationsandelaborations。IfanciedforthemomentthatIwaswritingabook。