slightly sneered at; too humble to arouse envy or enmity ; with a head free from fever, a handful of knowledge and a bagful of experience; a physician, so to speak, of the poor in intellect, helping one or the other whose head is bewildered by opinions, without this one really noticing who has helped him! Without any desire of setting himself right in his presence and carrying a victory, he would speak to him in such wise that, after a short, imperceptible hint or contradiction, he may tell himself what is right and proudly walk away! Like an obscure inn which never refuses admittance to a person in need, but which is afterwards forgotten and laughed at! He has no advantage, neither better food, nor purer air, nor a readier intellect —but gives up, returns, imparts, grows poorer! He can be humble in order to be accessible to many and humiliating to none! He has much wrong resting on himself, and has crept through the worm-holes of all sorts of errors, in order to be able to reach many obscene souls on their secret paths. For ever dwelling in some kind of love and some kind of selfishness and self-enjoyment! Powerful and at the same time obscure and resigned! Constantly basking in sunshine and the soft light of grace, and yet knowing the ladder, which leads to the sublime, to be near at hand! That, indeed, would be life! That, indeed, would be the motive for a long life!
