things has not a morsel left to offer to his famished soul.
328
What idealistic theories seem to disclose.—We may me sure to find ideal theories among the unscrupulous experts, for their reputation stands in need of the former's Iustre. They instinctively have recourse to them, without in so doing feeling in the least hypocritical—no more than Englishmen do in their Christian Sabbath observance. Conversely, contemplative natures who have to keep themselves under discipline in all sorts of fantastic dreams, and thread the repute of reverie, are only satisfied with hard, realistic theories; they seize them with the same instinctive compulsion and without losing their honesty.
329
The slanderers of cheerfulness.—Men who are deeply wounded by the disappointments of life look with suspicion on all cheerfulness, as though it were childlike and childish and betraying a want of common-sense which moves them to pity and sympathy, just us would a dying child that is still fondling his toys on on his death- bed. They detect hidden graves under every rose : festivitics, bustle, joyful music seem to them as the determined self-delusion of the hopeless invalid who longs to take a list draught from the intoxicating cup
