Now, when you have digested all this, Caroline, I want you to think what that sort of religion really means--and how it must elevate its believers into great broad aims and ends. How it must destroy all paltry meannesses, because, once a person realized that, even if no one on earth could ever know of his small action, his own soul would be aware of it, and become tarnished in consequence--then surely he would hesitate to commit that which would injure his own self-respect. There is another point to be considered: how best to arrive at what is actually right or wrong. And this can only be done by psychological deduction, through effect back to cause. If the results of an action produce pain and sorrow and evil, then the action--which is cause--must be bad. And, as there is nothing new under the sun--and all actions you would be likely to commit have already been committed by others in the past--you can get a general idea as to their probable result. But, above all other sides, the one to be examined is the effect upon the community. If the result of the action can only affect yourself, then you have the right to consider whether or no you will be prepared to pay the price of it before you commit it. But if there is plain indication that it can degrade or injure others who are near to you, or the community at large to which you belong, then the sin of it “jumps to the eyes,” as the French say. The test of every action is whether or no it would injure your own _self-respect_; firstly, entirely for you; and, secondly, in regard to the community--because your self-respect would be injured if you felt you had hurt the community. You are a responsible being, you know, Caroline, a being with naturally fine qualities, and one who has had the fortune to have received the highest education. Therefore you must “make good,” and show that, when art and science, directed by common sense, have done their best for a young girl, she can prove in herself that it is worth while to use these two things for the perfecting of the coming woman who is to be the mother of that race of mental giants which we hope the middle of this, our century, will produce. I think I am a crusader for the cause of common sense--which is only another word for what God meant when He endowed Solomon with wisdom. And, as these letters to you go on, you will observe that every single point we shall discuss will be ruled by this aspect. For the highest ideals are only common sense poetically treated. And now, Caroline, good-night--we have finished this talk upon religion--and need not refer to it again, since I believe your intelligence is such that you have grasped my basic principle. You will hear from me soon upon another subject. Your affectionate godmother, E. G. II DECEMBER, 1912.