Anewdoctrine，receivedwithscreamsalittlewhileagobycantingmoralists，andstillnotproperlyworkedintothebodyofourthoughts，lightsusastepfartherintotheheartofthisroughbutnobleuniverse。Fornowadaystheprideofmandeniesinvainhiskinshipwiththeoriginaldust。Hestandsnolongerlikeathingapart。Closeathisheelsweseethedog，princeofanothergenus:
　　andinhimtoo，weseedumblytestifiedthesamecultusofanunattainableideal，thesameconstancyinfailure。Doesitstopwiththedog？Welookatourfeetwherethegroundisblackenedwiththeswarmingant:acreaturesosmall，sofarfromusinthehierarchyofbrutes，thatwecanscarcetraceandscarcecomprehendhisdoings；andherealso，inhisorderedpoliticsandrigorousjustice，weseeconfessedthelawofdutyandthefactofindividualsin。Doesitstop，then，withtheant？Ratherthisdesireofwell-doingandthisdoomoffrailtyrunthroughallthegradesoflife:ratheristhisearth，fromthefrostytopofEveresttothenextmarginoftheinternalfire，onestageofineffectualvirtuesandonetempleofpioustearsandperseverance。
　　Thewholecreationgroanethandtravailethtogether。Itisthecommonandthegod-likelawoflife。Thebrowsers，thebiters，thebarkers，thehairycoatsoffieldandforest，thesquirrelintheoak，thethousand-footedcreeperinthedust，astheysharewithusthegiftoflife，sharewithustheloveofanideal:strivelikeus-likeusaretemptedtogrowwearyofthestruggle-todowell；likeusreceiveattimesunmeritedrefreshment，visitingsofsupport，returnsofcourage；andarecondemnedlikeustobecrucifiedbetweenthatdoublelawofthemembersandthewill。Aretheylikeus，Iwonder，inthetimidhopeofsomereward，somesugarwiththedrug？dothey，too，standaghastatunrewardedvirtues，atthesufferingsofthosewhom，inourpartiality，wetaketobejust，andtheprosperityofsuchas，inourblindness，wecallwicked？Itmaybe，andyetGodknowswhattheyshouldlookfor。Evenwhiletheylook，evenwhiletheyrepent，thefootofmantreadsthembythousandsinthedust，theyelpinghoundsburstupontheirtrail，thebulletspeeds，theknivesareheatinginthedenofthevivisectionist；orthedewfalls，andthegenerationofadayisblottedout。Forthesearecreatures，comparedwithwhomourweaknessisstrength，ourignorancewisdom，ourbriefspaneternity。
　　Andaswedwell，welivingthings，inourisleofterrorandundertheimminenthandofdeath，Godforbiditshouldbemantheerected，thereasoner，thewiseinhisowneyes-Godforbiditshouldbemanthatweariesinwell-doing，thatdespairsofunrewardedeffort，oruttersthelanguageofcomplaint。Letitbeenoughforfaith，thatthewholecreationgroansinmortalfrailty，striveswithunconquerableconstancy:Surelynotallinvain。
　　CHAPTERXII-ACHRISTMASSERMON
　　BYthetimethispaperappears，Ishallhavebeentalkingfortwelvemonths；anditisthoughtIshouldtakemyleaveinaformalandseasonablemanner。Valedictoryeloquenceisrare，anddeath-
　　bedsayingshavenotoftenhitthemarkoftheoccasion。CharlesSecond，witandsceptic，amanwhoselifehadbeenonelonglessoninhumanincredulity，aneasy-goingcomrade，amanoeuvringking-
　　rememberedandembodiedallhiswitandscepticismalongwithmorethanhisusualgoodhumourinthefamous"Iamafraid，gentlemen，I
　　amanunconscionabletimea-dying。"
　　I
　　Anunconscionabletimea-dying-thereisthepicture"Iamafraid，gentlemen，"ofyourlifeandofmine。Thesandsrunout，andthehoursare"numberedandimputed，"andthedaysgoby；andwhenthelastofthesefindsus，wehavebeenalongtimedying，andwhatelse？Theverylengthissomething，ifwereachthathourofseparationundishonoured；andtohavelivedatallisdoubtlessinthesoldierlyexpressiontohaveserved。
　　ThereisataleinTicitusofhowtheveteransmutiniedintheGermanwilderness；ofhowtheymobbedGermanicus，clamouinggohome；andofhow，seizingtheirgeneral'shand，theseold，war-wornexilespassedhisfingeralongtheirtoothlessgums。SUNTLACRYMAE
　　RERUM:thiswasthemosteloquentofthesongsofSimeon。Andwhenamanhaslivedtoafairage，hebearshismarksofservice。
　　Hemayhaveneverbeenremarkeduponthebreachattheheadofthearmy；atleastheshallhavelosthisteethonthecampbread。
　　Theidealismofseriouspeopleinthisageofoursisofanoblecharacter。Itneverseemstothemthattheyhaveservedenough；
　　theyhaveafineimpatienceoftheirvirtues。Itwereperhapsmoremodesttobesinglythankfulthatwearenoworse。Itisnotonlyourenemies，thosedesperatecharacters-itisweourselveswhoknownotwhatwedo，-thencespringstheglimmeringhopethatperhapswedobetterthanwethink:thattoscramblethroughthisrandombusinesswithhandsreasonablycleantohaveplayedthepartofamanorwomanwithsomereasonablefulness，tohaveoftenresistedthediabolic，andattheendtobestillresistingit，isforthepoorhumansoldiertohavedonerightwell。Toasktoseesomefruitofourendeavourisbutatranscendentalwayofservingforreward；andwhatwetaketobecontemptofselfisonlygreedofhire。
　　Andagainifwerequiresomuchofourselves，shallwenotrequiremuchofothers？Ifwedonotgeniallyjudgeourowndeficiencies，isitnottobefearedweshallbeevensterntothetrespassesofothers？Andhewholookingbackuponhisownlifecanseenomorethanthathehasbeenunconscionablylonga-dying，willhenotbetemptedtothinkhisneighbourunconscionablylongofgettinghanged？Itisprobablethatnearlyallwhothinkofconductatall，thinkofittoomuch；itiscertainweallthinktoomuchofsin。Wearenotdamnedfordoingwrong，butfornotdoingright；
　　Christwouldneverhearofnegativemorality；THOUSHALTwaseverhisword，withwhichhesupersededTHOUSHALTNOT。Tomakeourideaofmoralitycentreonforbiddenactsistodefiletheimaginationandtointroduceintoourjudgmentsofourfellow-menasecretelementofgusto。Ifathingiswrongforus，weshouldnotdwelluponthethoughtofit；orweshallsoondwelluponitwithinvertedpleasure。Ifwecannotdriveitfromourminds-onethingoftwo:eitherourcreedisinthewrongandwemustmoreindulgentlyremodelit；orelse，ifourmoralitybeintheright，wearecriminallunaticsandshouldplaceourpersonsinrestraint。
　　Amarkofsuchunwholesomelydividedmindsisthepassionforinterferencewithothers:theFoxwithouttheTailwasofthisbreed，buthadifhisbiographeristobetrustedacertainantiquecivilitynowoutofdate。Amanmayhaveaflaw，aweakness，thatunfitshimforthedutiesoflife，thatspoilshistemper，thatthreatenshisintegrity，orthatbetrayshimintocruelty。Ithastobeconquered；butitmustneverhesufferedtoengrosshisthoughts。Thetruedutiesliealluponthefartherside，andmustbeattendedtowithawholemindsosoonasthispreliminaryclearingofthedeckshasbeeneffected。Inorderthathemaybekindandhonest，itmaybeneedfulheshouldbecomeatotalabstainer；lethimbecomesothen，andthenextdaylethimforgetthecircumstance。Tryingtobekindandhonestwillrequireallhisthoughts；amortifiedappetiteisneverawisecompanion；
　　insofarashehashadtomortifyanappetite，hewillstillbetheworseman；andofsuchanoneagreatdealofcheerfulnesswillberequiredinjudginglife，andagreatdealofhumilityinjudgingothers。
　　Itmaybearguedagainthatdissatisfactionwithourlife'sendeavourspringsinsomedegreefromdulness。Werequirehighertasks，becausewedonotrecognisetheheightofthosewehave。
　　Tryingtobekindandhonestseemsanaffairtoosimpleandtooinconsequentialforgentlemenofourheroicmould；wehadrathersetourselvestosomethingbold，arduous，andconclusive；wehadratherfoundaschismorsuppressaheresy，cutoffahandormortifyanappetite。Butthetaskbeforeus，whichistoco-endurewithourexistence，isratheroneofmicroscopicfineness，andtheheroismrequiredisthatofpatience。ThereisnocuttingoftheGordianknotsoflife；eachmustbesmilinglyunravelled。
　　Tobehonest，tobekind-toearnalittleandtospendalittleless，tomakeuponthewholeafamilyhappierforhispresence，torenouncewhenthatshallbenecessaryandnotbeembittered，tokeepafewfriends，butthesewithoutcapitulation-aboveall，onthesamegrimcondition，tokeepfriendswithhimself-hereisataskforallthatamanhasoffortitudeanddelicacy。Hehasanambitioussoulwhowouldaskmore；hehasahopefulspiritwhoshouldlookinsuchanenterprisetobesuccessful。Thereisindeedoneelementinhumandestinythatnotblindnessitselfcancontrovert:whateverelseweareintendedtodo，wearenotintendedtosucceed；failureisthefateallotted。Itissoineveryartandstudy；itissoaboveallinthecontinentartoflivingwell。Hereisapleasantthoughtfortheyear'sendorfortheendoflife。Onlyself-deceptionwillbesatisfied，andthereneedbenodespairforthedespairer。
　　II
　　ButChristmasisnotonlythemile-markofanotheryear，movingustothoughtsofself-examination:itisaseason，fromallitsassociations，whetherdomesticorreligious，suggestingthoughtsofjoy。Amandissatisfiedwithhisendeavoursisamantemptedtosadness。Andinthemidstofthewinter，whenhisliferunslowestandheisremindedoftheemptychairsofhisbeloved，itiswellheshouldbecondemnedtothisfashionofthesmilingface。Nobledisappointment，nobleself-denial，arenottobeadmired，noteventobepardoned，iftheybringbitterness。Itisonethingtoenterthekingdomofheavenmaim；anothertomaimyourselfandstaywithout。Andthekingdomofheavenisofthechild-like，ofthosewhoareeasytoplease，wholoveandwhogivepleasure。Mightymenoftheirhands，thesmitersandthebuildersandthejudges，havelivedlonganddonesternlyandyetpreservedthislovelycharacter；andamongourcarpetinterestsandtwopennyconcerns，theshamewereindelibleifWEshouldloseit。Gentlenessandcheerfulness，thesecomebeforeallmorality；theyaretheperfectduties。Anditisthetroublewithmoralmenthattheyhaveneitheronenorother。Itwasthemoralman，thePharisee，whomChristcouldnotawaywith。Ifyourmoralsmakeyoudreary，dependuponittheyarewrong。Idonotsay"givethemup，"fortheymaybeallyouhave；butconcealthemlikeavice，lesttheyshouldspoilthelivesofbetterandsimplerpeople。
　　Astrangetemptationattendsuponman:tokeephiseyeonpleasures，evenwhenhewillnotshareinthem；toaimallhismoralsagainstthem。Thisveryyearaladysingulariconoclast!
　　proclaimedacrusadeagainstdolls；andtheracysermonagainstlustisafeatureoftheage。Iventuretocallsuchmoralistsinsincere。Atanyexcessorperversionofanaturalappetite，theirlyresoundsofitselfwithrelishingdenunciations；butforalldisplaysofthetrulydiabolic-envy，malice，themeanlie，themeansilence，thecalumnioustruth，theback-biter，thepettytyrant，thepeevishpoisoneroffamilylife-theirstandardisquitedifferent。Thesearewrong，theywilladmit，yetsomehownotsowrong；thereisnozealintheirassaultonthem，nosecretelementofgustowarmsupthesermon；itisforthingsnotwronginthemselvesthattheyreservethechoicestoftheirindignation。A
　　manmaynaturallydisclaimallmoralkinshipwiththeReverendMr。
　　Zolaorthehobgoblinoldladyofthedolls；forthesearegrossandnakedinstances。Andyetineachofussomesimilarelementresides。Thesightofapleasureinwhichwecannotorelsewillnotsharemovesustoaparticularimpatience。Itmaybebecauseweareenvious，orbecausewearesad，orbecausewedislikenoiseandromping-beingsorefined，orbecause-beingsophilosophic-
　　wehaveanover-weighingsenseoflife'sgravity:atleast，aswegooninyears，wearealltemptedtofrownuponourneighbour'spleasures。Peoplearenowadayssofondofresistingtemptations；
　　hereisonetoberesisted。Theyarefondofself-denial；hereisapropensitythatcannotbetooperemptorilydenied。Thereisanideaabroadamongmoralpeoplethattheyshouldmaketheirneighboursgood。OnepersonIhavetomakegood:myself。ButmydutytomyneighbourismuchmorenearlyexpressedbysayingthatI
　　havetomakehimhappy-ifImay。
　　III
　　Happinessandgoodness，accordingtocantingmoralists，standintherelationofeffectandcause。Therewasneveranythinglessprovedorlessprobable:ourhappinessisneverinourownhands；
　　weinheritourconstitution；westandbuffetamongfriendsandenemies；wemaybesobuiltastofeelasneeroranaspersionwithunusualkeenness，andsocircumstancedastobeunusuallyexposedtothem；wemayhavenervesverysensitivetopain，andbeafflictedwithadiseaseverypainful。Virtuewillnothelpus，anditisnotmeanttohelpus。Itisnotevenitsownreward，exceptfortheself-centredand-Ihadalmostsaid-theunamiable。Nomancanpacifyhisconscience；ifquietbewhathewant，heshalldobettertoletthatorganperishfromdisuse。Andtoavoidthepenaltiesofthelaw，andtheminorCAPITISDIMINUTIO
　　ofsocialostracism，isanaffairofwisdom-ofcunning，ifyouwill-andnotofvirtue。
　　Inhisownlife，then，amanisnottoexpecthappiness，onlytoprofitbyitgladlywhenitshallarise；heisondutyhere；heknowsnothoworwhy，anddoesnotneedtoknow；heknowsnotforwhathire，andmustnotask。Somehoworother，thoughhedoesnotknowwhatgoodnessis，hemusttrytobegood；somehoworother，thoughhecannottellwhatwilldoit，hemusttrytogivehappinesstoothers。Andnodoubttherecomesinhereafrequentclashofduties。Howfarishetomakehisneighbourhappy？Howfarmustherespectthatsmilingface，soeasytocloud，sohardtobrightenagain？Andhowfar，ontheotherside，isheboundtobehisbrother'skeeperandtheprophetofhisownmorality？Howfarmustheresentevil？
　　Thedifficultyisthatwehavelittleguidance；Christ'ssayingsonthepointbeinghardtoreconcilewitheachother，andthemostofthemhardtoaccept。Butthetruthofhisteachingwouldseemtobethis:inourownpersonandfortune，weshouldbereadytoacceptandtopardonall；itisOURcheekwearetoturn，OURcoatthatwearetogiveawaytothemanwhohastakenOURcloak。Butwhenanother'sfaceisbuffeted，perhapsalittleofthelionwillbecomeusbest。Thatwearetosufferotherstobeinjured，andstandby，isnotconceivableandsurelynotdesirable。Revenge，saysBacon，isakindofwildjustice；itsjudgmentsatleastaredeliveredbyaninsanejudge；andinourownquarrelwecanseenothingtrulyanddonothingwisely。Butinthequarrelofourneighbour，letusbemorebold。Oneperson'shappinessisassacredasanother's；whenwecannotdefendboth，letusdefendonewithastoutheart。Itisonlyinsofaraswearedoingthis，thatwehaveanyrighttointerfere:thedefenceofBisouronlygroundofactionagainstA。Ahasasgoodarighttogotothedevil，aswetogotoglory；andneitherknowswhathedoes。
　　Thetruthisthatalltheseinterventionsanddenunciationsandmilitantmongeringsofmoralhalf-truths，thoughtheybesometimesneedful，thoughtheyareoftenenjoyable，doyetbelongtoaninferiorgradeofduties。Ill-temperandenvyandrevengefindhereanarsenalofpiousdisguises；thisistheplaygroundofinvertedlusts。Withalittlemorepatienceandalittlelesstemper，agentlerandwisermethodmightbefoundinalmosteverycase；andtheknotthatwecutbysomefineheadyquarrel-sceneinprivatelife，or，inpublicaffairs，bysomedenunciatoryactagainstwhatwearepleasedtocallourneighbour'svices，mightyethavebeenunwovenbythehandofsympathy。
　　IV
　　Tolookbackuponthepastyear，andseehowlittlewehavestrivenandtowhatsmallpurpose；andhowoftenwehavebeencowardlyandhungback，ortemerariousandrushedunwiselyin；andhoweverydayandalldaylongwehavetransgressedthelawofkindness；-itmayseemaparadox，butinthebitternessofthesediscoveries，acertainconsolationresides。Lifeisnotdesignedtoministertoaman'svanity。Hegoesuponhislongbusinessmostofthetimewithahanginghead，andallthetimelikeablindchild。Fullofrewardsandpleasuresasitis-sothattoseethedaybreakorthemoonrise，ortomeetafriend，ortohearthedinner-callwhenheishungry，fillshimwithsurprisingjoys-thisworldisyetforhimnoabidingcity。Friendshipsfallthrough，healthfails，wearinessassailshim；yearafteryear，hemustthumbthehardlyvaryingrecordofhisownweaknessandfolly。Itisafriendlyprocessofdetachment。Whenthetimecomesthatheshouldgo，thereneedbefewillusionsleftabouthimself。HERELIESONEWHO
　　MEANTWELL，TRIEDALITTLE，FAILEDMUCH:-surelythatmaybehisepitaph，ofwhichheneednotbeashamed。Norwillhecomplainatthesummonswhichcallsadefeatedsoldierfromthefield:
　　defeated，ay，ifhewerePaulorMarcusAurelius!-butifthereisstilloneinchoffightinhisoldspirit，undishonoured。Thefaithwhichsustainedhiminhislife-longblindnessandlife-longdisappointmentwillscarceevenberequiredinthislastformalityoflayingdownhisarms。Givehimamarchwithhisoldbones；
　　there，outoftheglorioussun-colouredearth，outofthedayandthedustandtheecstasy-theregoesanotherFaithfulFailure!
　　Fromarecentbookofverse，wherethereismorethanonesuchbeautifulandmanlypoem，Itakethismemorialpiece:itsaysbetterthanIcan，whatIlovetothink；letitbeourpartingword。
　　"Alatelarktwittersfromthequietskies；
　　Andfromthewest，Wherethesun，hisday'sworkended，Lingersasincontent，Therefallsontheold，graycityAninfluenceluminousandserene，Ashiningpeace。
　　"ThesmokeascendsInarosy-and-goldenhaze。ThespiresShine，andarechanged。InthevalleyShadowsrise。Thelarksingson。Thesun，Closinghisbenediction，Sinks，andthedarkeningairThrillswithasenseofthetriumphingnight-
　　Night，withhertrainofstarsAndhergreatgiftofsleep。
　　"Sobemypassing!
　　Mytaskaccomplishedandthelongdaydone，Mywagestaken，andinmyheartSomelatelarksinging，Letmebegatheredtothequietwest，Thesundownsplendidandserene，Death。"