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idea FROM THE OUTSIDE。 Neither he nor Eve was able to originate
the idea that it was immodest to go naked； the knowledge came in
with the apple FROM THE OUTSIDE。 A man's brain is so constructed
that IT CAN ORIGINATE NOTHING WHATSOEVER。 It can only use
material obtained OUTSIDE。 It is merely a machine； and it works
automatically； not by will…power。 IT HAS NO COMMAND OVER ITSELF；
ITS OWNER HAS NO COMMAND OVER IT。
Y。M。 Well； never mind Adam： but certainly Shakespeare's
creations
O。M。 No； you mean Shakespeare's IMITATIONS。 Shakespeare
created nothing。 He correctly observed； and he marvelously
painted。 He exactly portrayed people whom GOD had created； but
he created none himself。 Let us spare him the slander of
charging him with trying。 Shakespeare could not create。 HE WAS
A MACHINE； AND MACHINES DO NOT CREATE。
Y。M。 Where WAS his excellence； then？
O。M。 In this。 He was not a sewing…machine； like you and
me； he was a Gobelin loom。 The threads and the colors came into
him FROM THE OUTSIDE； outside influences； suggestions；
EXPERIENCES （reading； seeing plays； playing plays； borrowing
ideas； and so on）； framed the patterns in his mind and started up
his complex and admirable machinery； and IT AUTOMATICALLY turned
out that pictured and gorgeous fabric which still compels the
astonishment of the world。 If Shakespeare had been born and bred
on a barren and unvisited rock in the ocean his mighty intellect
would have had no OUTSIDE MATERIAL to work with； and could have
invented none； and NO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES； teachings； moldings；
persuasions； inspirations； of a valuable sort； and could have
invented none； and so Shakespeare would have produced nothing。
In Turkey he would have produced somethingsomething up to the
highest limit of Turkish influences； associations； and training。
In France he would have produced something bettersomething up
to the highest limit of the French influences and training。 In
England he rose to the highest limit attainable through the
OUTSIDE HELPS AFFORDED BY THAT LAND'S IDEALS； INFLUENCES； AND
TRAINING。 You and I are but sewing…machines。 We must turn out
what we can； we must do our endeavor and care nothing at all when
the unthinking reproach us for not turning out Gobelins。
Y。M。 And so we are mere machines！ And machines may not
boast； nor feel proud of their performance； nor claim personal
merit for it； nor applause and praise。 It is an infamous
doctrine。
O。M。 It isn't a doctrine； it is merely a fact。
Y。M。 I suppose； then； there is no more merit in being brave
than in being a coward？
O。M。 PERSONAL merit？ No。 A brave man does not CREATE his
bravery。 He is entitled to no personal credit for possessing it。
It is born to him。 A baby born with a billion dollarswhere is
the personal merit in that？ A baby born with nothingwhere is
the personal demerit in that？ The one is fawned upon； admired；
worshiped； by sycophants； the other is neglected and despised
where is the sense in it？
Y。M。 Sometimes a timid man sets himself the task of
conquering his cowardice and becoming braveand succeeds。 What
do you say to that？
O。M。 That it shows the value of TRAINING IN RIGHT
DIRECTIONS OVER TRAINING IN WRONG ONES。 Inestimably valuable is
training； influence； education； in right directionsTRAINING
ONE'S SELF…APPROBATION TO ELEVATE ITS IDEALS。
Y。M。 But as to meritthe personal merit of the victorious
coward's project and achievement？
O。M。 There isn't any。 In the world's view he is a worthier
man than he was before； but HE didn't achieve the changethe
merit of it is not his。
Y。M。 Whose； then？
O。M。 His MAKE； and the influences which wrought upon it
from the outside。
Y。M。 His make？
O。M。 To start with； he was NOT utterly and completely a
coward； or the influences would have had nothing to work upon。
He was not afraid of a cow； though perhaps of a bull： not afraid
of a woman； but afraid of a man。 There was something to build
upon。 There was a SEED。 No seed； no plant。 Did he make that
seed himself； or was it born in him？ It was no merit of HIS that
the seed was there。
Y。M。 Well； anyway； the idea of CULTIVATING it； the
resolution to cultivate it； was meritorious； and he originated
that。
O。M。 He did nothing of the kind。 It came whence ALL
impulses； good or bad； comefrom OUTSIDE。 If that timid man had
lived all his life in a community of human rabbits； had never
read of brave deeds； had never heard speak of them； had never
heard any one praise them nor express envy of the heroes that had
done them； he would have had no more idea of bravery than Adam
had of modesty； and it could never by any possibility have
occurred to him to RESOLVE to become brave。 He COULD NOT
ORIGINATE THE IDEAit had to come to him from the OUTSIDE。 And
so； when he heard bravery extolled and cowardice derided； it woke
him up。 He was ashamed。 Perhaps his sweetheart turned up her
nose and said； 〃I am told that you are a coward！〃 It was not HE
that turned over the new leafshe did it for him。 HE must not
strut around in the merit of itit is not his。
Y。M。 But； anyway； he reared the plant after she watered the
seed。
O。M。 No。 OUTSIDE INFLUENCES reared it。 At the command
and tremblinghe marched out into the fieldwith other soldiers
and in the daytime； not alone and in the dark。 He had the
INFLUENCE OF EXAMPLE； he drew courage from his comrades' courage；
he was afraid； and wanted to run； but he did not dare； he was
AFRAID to run； with all those soldiers looking on。 He was
progressing； you seethe moral fear of shame had risen superior
to the physical fear of harm。 By the end of the campaign
experience will have taught him that not ALL who go into battle
get hurtan outside influence which will be helpful to him； and
he will also have learned how sweet it is to be praised for
courage and be huzza'd at with tear…choked voices as the war…worn
regiment marches past the worshiping multitude with flags flying
and the drums beating。 After that he will be as securely brave
as any veteran in the armyand there will not be a shade nor
suggestion of PERSONAL MERIT in it anywhere； it will all have
come from the OUTSIDE。 The Victoria Cross breeds more heroes
than
Y。M。 Hang it； where is the sense in his becoming brave if
he is to get no credit for it？
O。M。 Your question will answer itself presently。 It
involves an important detail of man's make which we have not yet
touched upon。
Y。M。 What detail is that？
O。M。 The impulse which moves a person to do thingsthe
only impulse that ever moves a person to do a thing。
Y。M。 The ONLY one！ Is there but one？
O。M。 That is all。 There is only one。
Y。M。 Well； certainly that is a strange enough doctrine。
What is the sole impulse that ever moves a person to do a thing？
O。M。 The impulse to CONTENT HIS OWN SPIRITthe NECESSITY
of contenting his own spirit and WINNING ITS APPROVAL。
Y。M。 Oh； come； that won't do！
O。M。 Why won't it？
Y。M。 Because it puts him in the attitude of always looking
out for his own comfort and advantage； whereas an unselfish man
often does a thing solely for another person's good when it is a
positive disadvantage to himself。
O。M。 It is a mistake。 The act must do HIM good； FIRST；
otherwise he will not do it。 He may THINK he is doing it solely
for the other person's sake； but it is not so； he is contenting
his own spirit firstthe other's person's benefit has to always
take SECOND place。
Y。M。 What a fantastic idea！ What becomes of self…
sacrifice？ Please answer me that。
O。M。 What is self…sacrifice？
Y。M。 The doing good to another person where no shadow nor
suggestion of benefit to one's self can result from it。
II
Man's Sole Impulsethe Securing of His Own Approval
Old Man。 There have been instances of ityou think？
Young Man。 INSTANCES？ Millions of them！
O。M。 You have not jumped to conclusions？ You have examined
themcritically？
Y。M。 They don't need it： the acts themselves reveal the
golden impulse back of them。
O。M。 For instance？
Y。M。 Well； then； for instance。 Take the case in the book
here。 The man lives three miles up…town。 It is bitter cold；
snowing hard； midnight。 He is about to enter the horse…car when
a gray and ragged old woman； a touching picture of misery； puts
out her lean hand and begs for rescue from hunger and death。 The
man finds that he has a quarter in his pocket； but he does not
hesitate： he gives it her and trudges home through the storm。
Thereit is noble； it is beautiful； its grace is marred by no
fleck or blemish or suggestion of self…interest。
O。M。 What makes you think that？
Y。M。 Pray what else could I think？ Do you imagine that
there is some other way of looking at it？