Anewdoctrine，receivedwithscreamsalittlewhileagobycantingmoralists，andstillnotproperlyworkedintothebodyofourthoughts，lightsusastepfartherintotheheartofthisroughbutnobleuniverse。Fornowadaystheprideofmandeniesinvainhiskinshipwiththeoriginaldust。Hestandsnolongerlikeathingapart。Closeathisheelsweseethedog，princeofanothergenus:
andinhimtoo，weseedumblytestifiedthesamecultusofanunattainableideal，thesameconstancyinfailure。Doesitstopwiththedog？Welookatourfeetwherethegroundisblackenedwiththeswarmingant:acreaturesosmall，sofarfromusinthehierarchyofbrutes，thatwecanscarcetraceandscarcecomprehendhisdoings；andherealso，inhisorderedpoliticsandrigorousjustice，weseeconfessedthelawofdutyandthefactofindividualsin。Doesitstop，then，withtheant？Ratherthisdesireofwell-doingandthisdoomoffrailtyrunthroughallthegradesoflife:ratheristhisearth，fromthefrostytopofEveresttothenextmarginoftheinternalfire，onestageofineffectualvirtuesandonetempleofpioustearsandperseverance。
Thewholecreationgroanethandtravailethtogether。Itisthecommonandthegod-likelawoflife。Thebrowsers，thebiters，thebarkers，thehairycoatsoffieldandforest，thesquirrelintheoak，thethousand-footedcreeperinthedust，astheysharewithusthegiftoflife，sharewithustheloveofanideal:strivelikeus-likeusaretemptedtogrowwearyofthestruggle-todowell；likeusreceiveattimesunmeritedrefreshment，visitingsofsupport，returnsofcourage；andarecondemnedlikeustobecrucifiedbetweenthatdoublelawofthemembersandthewill。Aretheylikeus，Iwonder，inthetimidhopeofsomereward，somesugarwiththedrug？dothey，too，standaghastatunrewardedvirtues，atthesufferingsofthosewhom，inourpartiality，wetaketobejust，andtheprosperityofsuchas，inourblindness，wecallwicked？Itmaybe，andyetGodknowswhattheyshouldlookfor。Evenwhiletheylook，evenwhiletheyrepent，thefootofmantreadsthembythousandsinthedust，theyelpinghoundsburstupontheirtrail，thebulletspeeds，theknivesareheatinginthedenofthevivisectionist；orthedewfalls，andthegenerationofadayisblottedout。Forthesearecreatures，comparedwithwhomourweaknessisstrength，ourignorancewisdom，ourbriefspaneternity。
Andaswedwell，welivingthings，inourisleofterrorandundertheimminenthandofdeath，Godforbiditshouldbemantheerected，thereasoner，thewiseinhisowneyes-Godforbiditshouldbemanthatweariesinwell-doing，thatdespairsofunrewardedeffort，oruttersthelanguageofcomplaint。Letitbeenoughforfaith，thatthewholecreationgroansinmortalfrailty，striveswithunconquerableconstancy:Surelynotallinvain。
CHAPTERXII-ACHRISTMASSERMON
BYthetimethispaperappears，Ishallhavebeentalkingfortwelvemonths；anditisthoughtIshouldtakemyleaveinaformalandseasonablemanner。Valedictoryeloquenceisrare，anddeath-
bedsayingshavenotoftenhitthemarkoftheoccasion。CharlesSecond，witandsceptic，amanwhoselifehadbeenonelonglessoninhumanincredulity，aneasy-goingcomrade，amanoeuvringking-
rememberedandembodiedallhiswitandscepticismalongwithmorethanhisusualgoodhumourinthefamous\"Iamafraid，gentlemen，I
amanunconscionabletimea-dying。\"
I
Anunconscionabletimea-dying-thereisthepicture(\"Iamafraid，gentlemen，\")ofyourlifeandofmine。Thesandsrunout，andthehoursare\"numberedandimputed，\"andthedaysgoby；andwhenthelastofthesefindsus，wehavebeenalongtimedying，andwhatelse？Theverylengthissomething，ifwereachthathourofseparationundishonoured；andtohavelivedatallisdoubtless(inthesoldierlyexpression)tohaveserved。
ThereisataleinTicitusofhowtheveteransmutiniedintheGermanwilderness；ofhowtheymobbedGermanicus，clamouinggohome；andofhow，seizingtheirgeneral\'shand，theseold，war-wornexilespassedhisfingeralongtheirtoothlessgums。SUNTLACRYMAE
RERUM:thiswasthemosteloquentofthesongsofSimeon。Andwhenamanhaslivedtoafairage，hebearshismarksofservice。
Hemayhaveneverbeenremarkeduponthebreachattheheadofthearmy；atleastheshallhavelosthisteethonthecampbread。
Theidealismofseriouspeopleinthisageofoursisofanoblecharacter。Itneverseemstothemthattheyhaveservedenough；
theyhaveafineimpatienceoftheirvirtues。Itwereperhapsmoremodesttobesinglythankfulthatwearenoworse。Itisnotonlyourenemies，thosedesperatecharacters-itisweourselveswhoknownotwhatwedo，-thencespringstheglimmeringhopethatperhapswedobetterthanwethink:thattoscramblethroughthisrandombusinesswithhandsreasonablycleantohaveplayedthepartofamanorwomanwithsomereasonablefulness，tohaveoftenresistedthediabolic，andattheendtobestillresistingit，isforthepoorhumansoldiertohavedonerightwell。Toasktoseesomefruitofourendeavourisbutatranscendentalwayofservingforreward；andwhatwetaketobecontemptofselfisonlygreedofhire。
Andagainifwerequiresomuchofourselves，shallwenotrequiremuchofothers？Ifwedonotgeniallyjudgeourowndeficiencies，isitnottobefearedweshallbeevensterntothetrespassesofothers？Andhewho(lookingbackuponhisownlife)canseenomorethanthathehasbeenunconscionablylonga-dying，willhenotbetemptedtothinkhisneighbourunconscionablylongofgettinghanged？Itisprobablethatnearlyallwhothinkofconductatall，thinkofittoomuch；itiscertainweallthinktoomuchofsin。Wearenotdamnedfordoingwrong，butfornotdoingright；
Christwouldneverhearofnegativemorality；THOUSHALTwaseverhisword，withwhichhesupersededTHOUSHALTNOT。Tomakeourideaofmoralitycentreonforbiddenactsistodefiletheimaginationandtointroduceintoourjudgmentsofourfellow-menasecretelementofgusto。Ifathingiswrongforus，weshouldnotdwelluponthethoughtofit；orweshallsoondwelluponitwithinvertedpleasure。Ifwecannotdriveitfromourminds-onethingoftwo:eitherourcreedisinthewrongandwemustmoreindulgentlyremodelit；orelse，ifourmoralitybeintheright，wearecriminallunaticsandshouldplaceourpersonsinrestraint。
Amarkofsuchunwholesomelydividedmindsisthepassionforinterferencewithothers:theFoxwithouttheTailwasofthisbreed，buthad(ifhisbiographeristobetrusted)acertainantiquecivilitynowoutofdate。Amanmayhaveaflaw，aweakness，thatunfitshimforthedutiesoflife，thatspoilshistemper，thatthreatenshisintegrity，orthatbetrayshimintocruelty。Ithastobeconquered；butitmustneverhesufferedtoengrosshisthoughts。Thetruedutiesliealluponthefartherside，andmustbeattendedtowithawholemindsosoonasthispreliminaryclearingofthedeckshasbeeneffected。Inorderthathemaybekindandhonest，itmaybeneedfulheshouldbecomeatotalabstainer；lethimbecomesothen，andthenextdaylethimforgetthecircumstance。Tryingtobekindandhonestwillrequireallhisthoughts；amortifiedappetiteisneverawisecompanion；
insofarashehashadtomortifyanappetite，hewillstillbetheworseman；andofsuchanoneagreatdealofcheerfulnesswillberequiredinjudginglife，andagreatdealofhumilityinjudgingothers。
Itmaybearguedagainthatdissatisfactionwithourlife\'sendeavourspringsinsomedegreefromdulness。Werequirehighertasks，becausewedonotrecognisetheheightofthosewehave。
Tryingtobekindandhonestseemsanaffairtoosimpleandtooinconsequentialforgentlemenofourheroicmould；wehadrathersetourselvestosomethingbold，arduous，andconclusive；wehadratherfoundaschismorsuppressaheresy，cutoffahandormortifyanappetite。Butthetaskbeforeus，whichistoco-endurewithourexistence，isratheroneofmicroscopicfineness，andtheheroismrequiredisthatofpatience。ThereisnocuttingoftheGordianknotsoflife；eachmustbesmilinglyunravelled。
Tobehonest，tobekind-toearnalittleandtospendalittleless，tomakeuponthewholeafamilyhappierforhispresence，torenouncewhenthatshallbenecessaryandnotbeembittered，tokeepafewfriends，butthesewithoutcapitulation-aboveall，onthesamegrimcondition，tokeepfriendswithhimself-hereisataskforallthatamanhasoffortitudeanddelicacy。Hehasanambitioussoulwhowouldaskmore；hehasahopefulspiritwhoshouldlookinsuchanenterprisetobesuccessful。Thereisindeedoneelementinhumandestinythatnotblindnessitselfcancontrovert:whateverelseweareintendedtodo，wearenotintendedtosucceed；failureisthefateallotted。Itissoineveryartandstudy；itissoaboveallinthecontinentartoflivingwell。Hereisapleasantthoughtfortheyear\'sendorfortheendoflife。Onlyself-deceptionwillbesatisfied，andthereneedbenodespairforthedespairer。
II
ButChristmasisnotonlythemile-markofanotheryear，movingustothoughtsofself-examination:itisaseason，fromallitsassociations，whetherdomesticorreligious，suggestingthoughtsofjoy。Amandissatisfiedwithhisendeavoursisamantemptedtosadness。Andinthemidstofthewinter，whenhisliferunslowestandheisremindedoftheemptychairsofhisbeloved，itiswellheshouldbecondemnedtothisfashionofthesmilingface。Nobledisappointment，nobleself-denial，arenottobeadmired，noteventobepardoned，iftheybringbitterness。Itisonethingtoenterthekingdomofheavenmaim；anothertomaimyourselfandstaywithout。Andthekingdomofheavenisofthechild-like，ofthosewhoareeasytoplease，wholoveandwhogivepleasure。Mightymenoftheirhands，thesmitersandthebuildersandthejudges，havelivedlonganddonesternlyandyetpreservedthislovelycharacter；andamongourcarpetinterestsandtwopennyconcerns，theshamewereindelibleifWEshouldloseit。Gentlenessandcheerfulness，thesecomebeforeallmorality；theyaretheperfectduties。Anditisthetroublewithmoralmenthattheyhaveneitheronenorother。Itwasthemoralman，thePharisee，whomChristcouldnotawaywith。Ifyourmoralsmakeyoudreary，dependuponittheyarewrong。Idonotsay\"givethemup，\"fortheymaybeallyouhave；butconcealthemlikeavice，lesttheyshouldspoilthelivesofbetterandsimplerpeople。
Astrangetemptationattendsuponman:tokeephiseyeonpleasures，evenwhenhewillnotshareinthem；toaimallhismoralsagainstthem。Thisveryyearalady(singulariconoclast!)
proclaimedacrusadeagainstdolls；andtheracysermonagainstlustisafeatureoftheage。Iventuretocallsuchmoralistsinsincere。Atanyexcessorperversionofanaturalappetite，theirlyresoundsofitselfwithrelishingdenunciations；butforalldisplaysofthetrulydiabolic-envy，malice，themeanlie，themeansilence，thecalumnioustruth，theback-biter，thepettytyrant，thepeevishpoisoneroffamilylife-theirstandardisquitedifferent。Thesearewrong，theywilladmit，yetsomehownotsowrong；thereisnozealintheirassaultonthem，nosecretelementofgustowarmsupthesermon；itisforthingsnotwronginthemselvesthattheyreservethechoicestoftheirindignation。A
manmaynaturallydisclaimallmoralkinshipwiththeReverendMr。
Zolaorthehobgoblinoldladyofthedolls；forthesearegrossandnakedinstances。Andyetineachofussomesimilarelementresides。Thesightofapleasureinwhichwecannotorelsewillnotsharemovesustoaparticularimpatience。Itmaybebecauseweareenvious，orbecausewearesad，orbecausewedislikenoiseandromping-beingsorefined，orbecause-beingsophilosophic-
wehaveanover-weighingsenseoflife\'sgravity:atleast，aswegooninyears，wearealltemptedtofrownuponourneighbour\'spleasures。Peoplearenowadayssofondofresistingtemptations；
hereisonetoberesisted。Theyarefondofself-denial；hereisapropensitythatcannotbetooperemptorilydenied。Thereisanideaabroadamongmoralpeoplethattheyshouldmaketheirneighboursgood。OnepersonIhavetomakegood:myself。ButmydutytomyneighbourismuchmorenearlyexpressedbysayingthatI
havetomakehimhappy-ifImay。
III
Happinessandgoodness，accordingtocantingmoralists，standintherelationofeffectandcause。Therewasneveranythinglessprovedorlessprobable:ourhappinessisneverinourownhands；
weinheritourconstitution；westandbuffetamongfriendsandenemies；wemaybesobuiltastofeelasneeroranaspersionwithunusualkeenness，andsocircumstancedastobeunusuallyexposedtothem；wemayhavenervesverysensitivetopain，andbeafflictedwithadiseaseverypainful。Virtuewillnothelpus，anditisnotmeanttohelpus。Itisnotevenitsownreward，exceptfortheself-centredand-Ihadalmostsaid-theunamiable。Nomancanpacifyhisconscience；ifquietbewhathewant，heshalldobettertoletthatorganperishfromdisuse。Andtoavoidthepenaltiesofthelaw，andtheminorCAPITISDIMINUTIO
ofsocialostracism，isanaffairofwisdom-ofcunning，ifyouwill-andnotofvirtue。
Inhisownlife，then，amanisnottoexpecthappiness，onlytoprofitbyitgladlywhenitshallarise；heisondutyhere；heknowsnothoworwhy，anddoesnotneedtoknow；heknowsnotforwhathire，andmustnotask。Somehoworother，thoughhedoesnotknowwhatgoodnessis，hemusttrytobegood；somehoworother，thoughhecannottellwhatwilldoit，hemusttrytogivehappinesstoothers。Andnodoubttherecomesinhereafrequentclashofduties。Howfarishetomakehisneighbourhappy？Howfarmustherespectthatsmilingface，soeasytocloud，sohardtobrightenagain？Andhowfar，ontheotherside，isheboundtobehisbrother\'skeeperandtheprophetofhisownmorality？Howfarmustheresentevil？
Thedifficultyisthatwehavelittleguidance；Christ\'ssayingsonthepointbeinghardtoreconcilewitheachother，and(themostofthem)hardtoaccept。Butthetruthofhisteachingwouldseemtobethis:inourownpersonandfortune，weshouldbereadytoacceptandtopardonall；itisOURcheekwearetoturn，OURcoatthatwearetogiveawaytothemanwhohastakenOURcloak。Butwhenanother\'sfaceisbuffeted，perhapsalittleofthelionwillbecomeusbest。Thatwearetosufferotherstobeinjured，andstandby，isnotconceivableandsurelynotdesirable。Revenge，saysBacon，isakindofwildjustice；itsjudgmentsatleastaredeliveredbyaninsanejudge；andinourownquarrelwecanseenothingtrulyanddonothingwisely。Butinthequarrelofourneighbour，letusbemorebold。Oneperson\'shappinessisassacredasanother\'s；whenwecannotdefendboth，letusdefendonewithastoutheart。Itisonlyinsofaraswearedoingthis，thatwehaveanyrighttointerfere:thedefenceofBisouronlygroundofactionagainstA。Ahasasgoodarighttogotothedevil，aswetogotoglory；andneitherknowswhathedoes。
Thetruthisthatalltheseinterventionsanddenunciationsandmilitantmongeringsofmoralhalf-truths，thoughtheybesometimesneedful，thoughtheyareoftenenjoyable，doyetbelongtoaninferiorgradeofduties。Ill-temperandenvyandrevengefindhereanarsenalofpiousdisguises；thisistheplaygroundofinvertedlusts。Withalittlemorepatienceandalittlelesstemper，agentlerandwisermethodmightbefoundinalmosteverycase；andtheknotthatwecutbysomefineheadyquarrel-sceneinprivatelife，or，inpublicaffairs，bysomedenunciatoryactagainstwhatwearepleasedtocallourneighbour\'svices，mightyethavebeenunwovenbythehandofsympathy。
IV
Tolookbackuponthepastyear，andseehowlittlewehavestrivenandtowhatsmallpurpose；andhowoftenwehavebeencowardlyandhungback，ortemerariousandrushedunwiselyin；andhoweverydayandalldaylongwehavetransgressedthelawofkindness；-itmayseemaparadox，butinthebitternessofthesediscoveries，acertainconsolationresides。Lifeisnotdesignedtoministertoaman\'svanity。Hegoesuponhislongbusinessmostofthetimewithahanginghead，andallthetimelikeablindchild。Fullofrewardsandpleasuresasitis-sothattoseethedaybreakorthemoonrise，ortomeetafriend，ortohearthedinner-callwhenheishungry，fillshimwithsurprisingjoys-thisworldisyetforhimnoabidingcity。Friendshipsfallthrough，healthfails，wearinessassailshim；yearafteryear，hemustthumbthehardlyvaryingrecordofhisownweaknessandfolly。Itisafriendlyprocessofdetachment。Whenthetimecomesthatheshouldgo，thereneedbefewillusionsleftabouthimself。HERELIESONEWHO
MEANTWELL，TRIEDALITTLE，FAILEDMUCH:-surelythatmaybehisepitaph，ofwhichheneednotbeashamed。Norwillhecomplainatthesummonswhichcallsadefeatedsoldierfromthefield:
defeated，ay，ifhewerePaulorMarcusAurelius!-butifthereisstilloneinchoffightinhisoldspirit，undishonoured。Thefaithwhichsustainedhiminhislife-longblindnessandlife-longdisappointmentwillscarceevenberequiredinthislastformalityoflayingdownhisarms。Givehimamarchwithhisoldbones；
there，outoftheglorioussun-colouredearth，outofthedayandthedustandtheecstasy-theregoesanotherFaithfulFailure!
Fromarecentbookofverse，wherethereismorethanonesuchbeautifulandmanlypoem，Itakethismemorialpiece:itsaysbetterthanIcan，whatIlovetothink；letitbeourpartingword。
\"Alatelarktwittersfromthequietskies；
Andfromthewest，Wherethesun，hisday\'sworkended，Lingersasincontent，Therefallsontheold，graycityAninfluenceluminousandserene，Ashiningpeace。
\"ThesmokeascendsInarosy-and-goldenhaze。ThespiresShine，andarechanged。InthevalleyShadowsrise。Thelarksingson。Thesun，Closinghisbenediction，Sinks，andthedarkeningairThrillswithasenseofthetriumphingnight-
Night，withhertrainofstarsAndhergreatgiftofsleep。
\"Sobemypassing!
Mytaskaccomplishedandthelongdaydone，Mywagestaken，andinmyheartSomelatelarksinging，Letmebegatheredtothequietwest，Thesundownsplendidandserene，Death。\"