Pages from a Journal with Other Papers — John Shaqi
Pages from a Journal with Other PapersWhite, William Hale
General
Pages from a Journal with Other Papers
White, William Hale
English essays
There is nothing to be done but to fight and wait for the superior help
which will come if we do what we can. Emanuel at first delayed his aid
in the great battle, and the first brunt was left to Captain Credence.
Presently, however, Emanuel appeared “with colours flying, trumpets
sounding, and the feet of his men scarce touched the ground; they hasted
with such celerity towards the captains that were engaged that . . .
there was not left so much as one Doubter alive, they lay spread upon the
ground dead men as one would spread dung on the land.” The dead were
buried “lest the fumes and ill-favours that would arise from them might
infect the air and so annoy the famous town of Mansoul.” But it will be
a fight to the end for Diabolus, and the lords of the pit escaped.
After Emanuel had finally occupied Mansoul he gave the citizens some
advice. The policy of Diabolus was “to make of their castle a
warehouse.” Emanuel made it a fortress and a palace, and garrisoned the
town. “O my Mansoul,” he said, “nourish my captains; make not my
captains sick, O Mansoul.”
INJUSTICE
A NOTION, self-begotten in me, of the limitations of my friend is
answerable for the barrenness of my intercourse with him. I set him down
as hard; I speak to him as if he were hard and from that which is hard in
myself. Naturally I evoke only that which is hard, although there may be
fountains of tenderness in him of which I am altogether unaware. It is
far better in conversation not to regulate it according to supposed
capacities or tempers, which are generally those of some fictitious
being, but to be simply ourselves. We shall often find unexpected and
welcome response.
Our estimates of persons, unless they are frequently revived by personal
intercourse, are apt to alter insensibly and to become untrue. They
acquire increased definiteness but they lose in comprehensiveness.
Especially is this true of those who are dead. If I do not read a great
author for some time my mental abstract of him becomes summary and false.
I turn to him again, all summary judgments upon him become impossible,
and he partakes of infinitude. Writers, and people who are in society
and talk much are apt to be satisfied with an algebraic symbol for a man
of note, and their work is done not with him but with _x_.
TIME SETTLES CONTROVERSIES
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