Besides, in these days the world forces universal culture upon us, and so we need not trouble ourselves further about it; we must appropriate some particular culture. 330 The greatest difficulties lie where we do not look for them. 331 Our interest in public events is mostly the merest philistinism. 332 Nothing is more highly to be prized than the value of each day. 333 _Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt!_ This is so strange an utterance, that it could only have come from one who fancied himself autochthonous. The man who looks upon it as an honour to be descended from wise ancestors, will allow them at least as much common-sense as he allows himself. 334 Strictly speaking, everything depends upon a man's intentions; where these exist, thoughts appear; and as the intentions are, so are the thoughts. 335 If a man lives long in a high position, he does not, it is true, experience all that a man can experience; but he experiences things like them, and perhaps some things that have no parallel elsewhere. VII 336 The first and last thing that is required of genius is love of truth. 337 To be and remain true to oneself and others, is to possess the noblest attribute of the greatest talents. 338 Great talents are the best means of conciliation. 339 The action of genius is in a way ubiquitous: towards general truths before experience, and towards particular truths after it. 340 An active scepticism is one which constantly aims at overcoming itself, and arriving by means of regulated experience at a kind of conditioned certainty. 341 The general nature of the sceptical mind is its tendency to inquire whether any particular predicate really attaches to any particular object; and the purpose of the inquiry is safely to apply in practice what has thus been discovered and proved. 342 The mind endowed with active powers and keeping with a practical object to the task that lies nearest, is the worthiest there is on earth. 343 Perfection is the measure of heaven, and the wish to be perfect the measure of man. 344 Not only what is born with him, but also what he acquires, makes the man. 345 A man is well equipped for all the real necessities of life if he trusts his senses, and so cultivates them that they remain worthy of being trusted. 346 The senses do not deceive; it is the judgment that deceives. 347 The lower animal is taught by its organs; man teaches his organs, and dominates them. 348 All direct invitation to live up to ideals is of doubtful value, particularly if addressed to women. Whatever the reason of it may be, a man of any importance collects round him a seraglio of a more or less religious, moral, and æsthetic character. 349 When a great idea enters the world as a Gospel, it becomes an offence to the multitude, which stagnates in pedantry; and to those who have much learning but little depth, it is folly. 350