Page:Philosophy and Fun of Algebra.djvu/52

PHILOSOPHY AND FUN 0F ALGEBRA methods skilfully to arrive at the knowledge of truths.

When you have found out a truth, then the question whether you shall or shall not tell it to other people is a matter of conscience. You will have to settle it alone with the Great Power which no man knows. Self-deception, slipshod logic, and bad algebra are things which it is the business of your elders to protect you from while you are young, in order that you may not lose the power of being honest in case you wish to be so. My business is not to judge what is good or bad conduct, but to see that you learn how to be perfectly honest with yourself. I wish you to notice this, because in the books of the Hebrew algebra you will sometimes find good kind people spoken of very harshly; and some of the most dishonest and selfish people in the world praised and spoken of as blessed. This puzzles many good people, because they choose to fancy that the Hebrew books are sermons about right and wrong feelings; and do not like to recognise that they are really about the algebra of logic. 48