CHAPTER XIV.
GOODNESS AND THE VIRTUES.
§ 1. The Struggle of the Moral Life. All that we have said about the moral life shows that it involves struggle. Character is not formed by drifting with the stream of life. The fulfilment of vocation requires, as we have seen, the assertion of the comprehensive self, and the denial of such private desires and interests as may be inconsistent with it. Now assertion involves energy and perseverance, and renunciation implies pain and effort. All this means struggle. Goodness of character is not attained simply by wishing or hoping or desiring or acquiescing. It requires a constant struggle: "it is hard to be good." Perfect goodness never is completely attained. But the good man is always in process of attaining. His life is a struggle in which he is gradually realising his ideals. It is impossible for a man to stand still morally. If he is not improving, or at least trying to improve, he is deteriorating. The moment he says to himself, "I have attained," he begins to fall.
Much of our moral life has, indeed, been given over to habit, and in accordance with habit we do what is right or wrong almost mechanically. In doing such
