Page:Dawn of the Day.pdf/84

48 thinking about his complaint, which is greater than that from the complaint itself—this I think would be a something, and something worth having! Do you not understand our task?The "Ways"—The so-called "short ents" have always exposed mannkind to great hazards; at the happy news that such “short cut" has been found, they have invariably deserted and lost their own way.

‘’The apostute of the independent mind.’’—Is there anybody who has a serious aversion to pious people firmly rooted in their faith? Do we not, on the contrary, look upon them with silent admiration and pleasure, deeply regretting that these excellent folk do not share our feelings? But whence comes that unfounded, deep, and sudden grudge against any one who, having once possessed a thorough independence of mind, turned “believer" in the end? In thinking of him we seem to behold some disgusting sight, which we ought speedily to blot out from our memories. Should we not turn our backs on even the most venerable man if we suspected him in this respect ? Not on account of any moral verdict, but of a sudden disgust and horror? Whence this acuteness of sentiment? Perhaps someone will give us to understand that, in reality,