Tome，unfortunatelyperhaps(forIspeakmerelyofindividualtaste)，acatisawildanimal。AcatisNaturepersonified。LikeNature，itissomysteriousthatonecannotquitereposeeveninitsbeauty。ButlikeNatureagain，itissobeautifulthatonecannotbelievethatitisreallycruel。Perhapsitisn\'t；andthereagainitislikeNature。Menofoldtimeworshippedcatsastheyworshippedcrocodiles；andthosemagnificentoldmysticsknewwhattheywereabout。Themomentinwhichonereallylovescatsisthesameasthatinwhichone(moderatelyandwithinreason)lovescrocodiles。Itisthatdivineinstantwhenamanfeelshimself——no，notabsorbedintotheunityofallthings(aloathsomefancy)——butdelightinginthedifferenceofallthings。Atthemomentwhenamanreallyknowsheisamanhewillfeel，howeverfaintly，akindoffairy-talepleasureinthefactthatacrocodileisacrocodile。Allthemorewillheexultinthethingsthataremoreevidentlybeautifulthancrocodiles，suchasflowersandbirdsandeats——whicharemorebeautifulthaneither。Butitdoesnotfollowthathewillwishtopickalltheflowersortocageallthebirdsortoownallthecats。
Noonewhostillbelievesindemocracyandtherightsofmanwilladmitthatanydivisionbetweenmenandmencanbeanythingbutafancifulanalogytothedivisionbetweenmenandanimals。ButinthesphereofsuchfancifulanalogythereareevenhumanbeingswhomIfeeltobelikeeatsinthisrespect:thatIcanlovethemwithoutlikingthem。Ifeelitaboutcertainquaintandaliensocieties，especiallyabouttheJapanese。TheexquisiteoldJapanesedraughtsmanship(ofwhichweshallseenomore，nowJapanhasgoneinforProgressandImperialism)hadaqualitythatwasinfinitelyattractiveandintangible。Japanesepictureswerereallyratherlikepicturesmadebycats。Theywerefulloffeatherysoftnessandofsuddenandspiritedscratches。Ifanyonewillwanderinsomegalleryfortunateenoughtohaveafinecollectionofthoseslightwater-coloursketchesonricepaperwhichcomefromtheremoteEast，hewillobservemanyelementsinthemwhichafancifulpersonmightconsiderfeline。Thereis，forinstance，thatoddenjoymentofthetopsoftrees；thoseairytraceriesofforksandfadingtwigs，uptowhichcertainlynoartist，butonlyacatcouldclimb。Thereisthatelvishloveofthefullmoon，aslargeandlucidasaChineselantern，hunginthesetenuousbranches。Thatmoonissolargeandluminousthatonecanimagineahundredcatshowlingunderit。Thenthereistheexhaustivetreatmentoftheanatomyofbirdsandfish；subjectsinwhichcatsaresaidtobeinterested。Thenthereistheslantingcat-likeeyeofalltheseEasterngodsandmen——butthisisgettingaltogethertoocoincident。Weshallhaveanotherracialtheoryinnotime(beginning\"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……themissionaryexplained(Ireadinthepaper)thattheassertionanddenialabouttheJapaneseuseoftorturewasamerematterofverbaltranslation。\"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-MindedBillandtheInebriateBill(veryappropriatenamesforthem)actuallyarmwithscorpionsthehandthathaschastisedtheMalatestasandMaleckaswithwhips。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\'CompanywouldbeverymuchsurprisediftheKinggrantedthemanewcharter(inplaceoftheirmediaevalcharter)，anditonlymeantthatpolicemenmightpullthecigarsoutoftheirmouths。Itmaybeagoodthingthatalldrunkardsshouldbelockedup:
andmanyacutestatesmen(\"KingJohn，forinstance)wouldcertainlyhavethoughtitagoodthingifallaristocratscouldbelockedup。Buteventhatsomewhatcynicalprincewouldscarcelyhavegrantedtothebaronsathingcalled\"theGreatCharter\"andthenlockedthemalluponthestrengthofit。Ifhehad，thisinterpretationoftheword\"charter\"
wouldhavestruckthebaronswithconsiderablesurprise。Idoubtiftheirnarrowmediaevalmindscouldhavetakenitin。
TherootsoftherealEnglandareintheearlyMiddleAges，andnoEnglishmanwilleverunderstandhisownlanguage(orevenhisownconscience)tillheunderstandsthem。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；inwhich(evenmorethaninmoralcontent)Itakeapersonalinterest。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，theColonialidealist(whocommonlyspeaksandalwaysthinkswithaYankeeaccent)willsay，\"I\'vebeenrightawayfromtheselittlemuddyislands，andseenGod\'sgreatseasandprairies。”Thesoundphilosopherwillreply，\"Youhaveneverbeenintheeislands；youhaveneverseenthewealdofSussexortheplainofSalisbury；otherwiseyoucouldneverhavecalledthemeithermuddyorlittle。”
ThustheSuffragettewillsay，\"Ihavepassedthroughthepaltrydutiesofpotsandpans，thedrudgeryofthevulgarkitchen；butIhavecomeouttointellectualliberty。”Thesoundphilosopherwillanswer，\"Youhaveneverpassedthroughthekitchen，oryouneverwouldcallitvulgar。
Wiserandstrongerwomenthanyouhavereallyseenapoetryinpotsandpans；naturally，becausethereisapoetryinthem。”ItisrightforthevillageviolinisttoclimbintofameinParisorVienna；itisrightforthestrayEnglishmantoclimbacrossthehighshoulderoftheworld；itisrightforthewomantoclimbintowhatevercathedraeorhighplacesshecanallowtohersexualdignity。Butitiswrongthatanyoftheseclimbersshouldkicktheladderbywhichtheyhaveclimbed。Butindeedthesebitterpeoplewhorecordtheirexperiencesreallyrecordtheirlackofexperiences。ItisthecountrymanwhohasnotsucceededinbeingacountrymanwhocomesuptoLondon。Itistheclerkwhohasnotsucceededinbeingaclerkwhotries(onvegetarianprinciples)tobeacountryman。
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:-(1)Don\'tuseanounandthenanadjectivethatcrossesoutthenoun。Anadjectivequalifies，itcannotcontradict。Don\'tsay，\"Givemeapatriotismthatisfreefromallboundaries。”Itislikesaying，\"Givemeaporkpiewithnoporkinit。”Don\'tsay，\"Ilookforwardtothatlargerreligionthatshallhavenospecialdogmas。”Itislikesaying，\"Ilookforwardtothatlargerquadrupedwhoshallhavenofeet。”Aquadrupedmeanssomethingwithfourfeet；andareligionmeanssomethingthatcommitsamantosomedoctrineabouttheuniverse。
Don\'tletthemeeksubstantivebeabsolutelymurderedbythejoyful，exuberantadjective。
(2)Don\'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。
(3)Don\'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。
(4)Don\'tsay，\"Thereisnotruecreed；foreachcreedbelievesitselfrightandtheotherswrong。”Probablyoneofthecreedsisrightandtheothersarewrong。Diversitydoesshowthatmostoftheviewsmustbewrong。Itdoesnotbythefaintestlogicshowthattheyallmustbewrong。IsupposethereisnosubjectonwhichopinionsdifferwithmoredesperatesinceritythanaboutwhichhorsewillwintheDerby。Thesearecertainlysolemnconvictions；menriskruinforthem。ThemanwhoputshisshirtonPotosimustbelieveinthatanimal，andeachoftheothermenputtingtheirlastgarmentsuponotherquadrupedsmustbelieveinthemquiteassincerely。Theyareallserious，andmostofthemarewrong。Butoneofthemisright。Oneofthefaithsisjustified；oneofthehorsesdoeswin；notalwayseventhedarkhorsewhichmightstandforAgnosticism，butoftentheobviousandpopularhorseofOrthodoxy。
Democracyhasitsoccasionalvictories；andeventheFavouritehasbeenknowntocomeinfirst。Butthepointhereisthatsomethingcomesinfirst。Thatthereweremanybeliefsdoesnotdestroythefactthattherewasonewell-foundedbelief。Ibelieve(merelyuponauthority)thattheworldisround。Thattheremaybetribeswhobelieveittobetriangularoroblongdoesnotalterthefactthatitiscertainlysomeshape，andthereforenotanyothershape。ThereforeIrepeat，withthewailofimprecation，don\'tsaythatthevarietyofcreedspreventsyoufromacceptinganycreed。
Itisanunintelligentremark。(5)Don\'t(ifanyonecallsyourdoctrinemad，whichislikelyenough)，don\'tanswerthatmadmenareonlytheminorityandthesaneonlythemajority。Thesanearesanebecausetheyarethecorporatesubstanceofmankind；theinsanearenotaminoritybecausetheyarenotamob。Themanwhothinkshimselfamanthinksthenextmanaman；hereckonshisneighbourashimself。Butthemanwhothinksheisachickendoesnottrytolookthroughthemanwhothinksheisglass。ThemanwhothinkshimselfJesusChristdoesnotquarrelwiththemanwhothinkshimselfRockefeller；aswouldcertainlyhappenifthetwohadevermet。Butmadmennevermeet。Itistheonlythingtheycannotdo。Theycantalk，theycaninspire，theycanfight，theycanfoundreligions；buttheycannotmeet。Maniacscanneverbethemajority；forthesimplereasonthattheycanneverbeevenaminority。Iftwomadmenhadeveragreedtheymighthaveconqueredtheworld。
(6)Don\'tsaythattheideaofhumanequalityisabsurd，becausesomemenaretallandsomeshort，somecleverandsomestupid。AttheheightoftheFrenchRevolutionitwasnoticedthatDantonwastallandMuratshort。
InthewildestpopularexcitementofAmericaitisknownthatRockefellerisstupidandthatBryanisclever。Thedoctrineofhumanequalityreposesuponthis:Thatthereisnomanreallycleverwhohasnotfoundthatheisstupid。Thatthereisnobigmanwhohasnotfeltsmall。Somemenneverfeelsmall；butthesearethefewmenwhoare。
(7)Don\'tsay(Odon\'tsay)thatPrimitiveManknockeddownawomanwithaclubandcarriedheraway。Whyonearthshouldhe？Doesthemalesparrowknockdownthefemalesparrowwithatwig？Doesthemalegiraffeknockdownthefemalegiraffewithapalmtree？Whyshouldthemalehavehadtouseanyviolenceatanytimeinordertomakethefemaleafemale？
Whyshouldthewomanrollherselfinthemirelowerthanthesowortheshe-bear；andprofesstohavebeenaslavewhereallthesecreatureswerecreators；whereallthesebeastsweregods？Donottalksuchbosh。I
imploreyou，Isupplicateyounottotalksuchbosh。Utterlyandabsolutelyabolishallsuchbosh——andwemayyetbegintodiscussthesepublicquestionsproperly。ButIfearmylistofprotestsgrowstoolong；
andIknowitcouldgrowlongerforever。Thereadermustforgivemyelongationsandelaborations。IfanciedforthemomentthatIwaswritingabook。