of　what　his　thought　is；surely　long　infinitudes　beyond　all　_he_　could　ever　think；lies　the　Thought　of　God　Almighty；　the　Image　itself　of　the　Fact；　the　thing　you　are　in　quest　of；　and　must　find　or　do　worse！　　Even　his；　the　honorable　gentleman's；　actual　bewildered；　falsified；　vague　surmise　or　quasi…thought；　even　this　is　not　given　you；　but　only　some　falsified　copy　of　this；　such　as　he　fancies　may　suit　the　reporters　and　twenty…seven　millions　mostly　fools。　　And　upon　that　latter　you　are　to　act；with　what　success；　do　you　expect？　　That　is　the　thought　you　are　to　take　for　the　Thought　of　the　Eternal　Mind；that　double…distilled　falsity　of　a　blockheadism　from　one　who　is　false　even　as　a　blockhead！
  Do　I　make　myself　plain　to　Mr。　Peter's　understanding？　　Perhaps　it　will　surprise　him　less　that　parliamentary　eloquence　excites　more　wonder　than　admiration　in　me；　that　the　fate　of　countries　governed　by　that　sublime　alchemy　does　not　appear　the　hopefulest　just　now。　　Not　by　that　method；　I　should　apprehend；　will　the　Heavens　be　scaled　and　the　Earth　vanquished；　not　by　that；　but　by　another。
  A　benevolent　man　once　proposed　to　me；　but　without　pointing　out　the　methods　how；　this　plan　of　reform　for　our　benighted　world：　　To　cut　from　one　generation；　whether　the　current　one　or　the　next；　all　the　tongues　away；　prohibiting　Literature　too；　and　appoint　at　least　one　generation　to　pass　its　life　in　silence。　　〃There；　thou　one　blessed　generation；　from　the　vain　jargon　of　babble　thou　art　beneficently　freed。　　Whatsoever　of　truth；　traditionary　or　original；　thy　own　god…given　intellect　shall　point　out　to　thee　as　true；　that　thou　wilt　go　and　do。　　In　doing　of　it　there　will　be　a　verdict　for　thee；　if　a　verdict　of　True；　thou　wilt　hold　by　it；　and　ever　again　do　it；　if　of　Untrue；　thou　wilt　never　try　it　more；　but　be　eternally　delivered　from　it。　To　do　aught　because　the　vain　hearsays　order　thee；　and　the　big　clamors　of　the　sanhedrim　of　fools；　is　not　thy　lot；what　worlds　of　misery　are　spared　thee！　　Nature's　voice　heard　in　thy　own　inner　being；　and　the　sacred　Commandment　of　thy　Maker：　　these　shall　be　thy　guidances；　thou　happy　tongueless　generation。　　What　is　good　and　beautiful　thou　shalt　know；　not　merely　what　is　said　to　be　so。　　Not　to　talk　of　thy　doings；　and　become　the　envy　of　surrounding　flunkies；　but　to　taste　of　the　fruit　of　thy　doings　themselves；　is　thine。　　What　the　Eternal　Laws　will　sanction　for　thee；　do；　what　the　Froth　Gospels　and　multitudinous　long…eared　Hearsays　never　so　loudly　bid；　all　this　is　already　chaff　for　thee；drifting　rapidly　along；　thou　knowest　whitherward；　on　the　eternal　winds。〃
  Good　Heavens；　if　such　a　plan　were　practicable；　how　the　chaff　might　be　winnowed　out　of　every　man；　and　out　of　all　human　things；　and　ninety…nine　hundredths　of　our　whole　big　Universe；　spiritual　and　practical；　might　blow　itself　away；　as　mere　torrents　of　chaff　whole　trade…winds　of　chaff；　many　miles　deep；　rushing　continually　with　the　voice　of　whirlwinds　towards　a　certain　FIRE；　which　knows　how　to　deal　with　it！　　Ninety…nine　hundredths　blown　away；　all　the　lies　blown　away；　and　some　skeleton　of　a　spiritual　and　practical　Universe　left　standing　for　us　which　were　true：　　O　Heavens；　is　it　forever　impossible；　then？　　By　a　generation　that　had　no　tongue　it　really　might　be　done；　but　not　so　easily　by　one　that　had。　　Tongues；　platforms；　parliaments；　and　fourth…estates；　unfettered　presses；　periodical　and　stationary　literatures：　　we　are　nearly　all　gone　to　tongue；　I　think；　and　our　fate　is　very　questionable。
  Truly；　it　is　little　known　at　present；　and　ought　forthwith　to　become　better　known；　what　ruin　to　all　nobleness　and　fruitfulness　and　blessedness　in　the　genius　of　a　poor　mortal　you　generally　bring　about；　by　ordering　him　to　speak；　to　do　all　things　with　a　view　to　their　being　seen！　　Few　good　and　fruitful　things　ever　were　done；　or　could　be　done；　on　those　terms。　　Silence；　silence；　and　be　distant　ye　profane；　with　your　jargonings　and　superficial　babblements；　when　a　man　has　anything　to　do！　　Eye…service；dost　thou　know　what　that　is；　poor　England？eye…service　is　all　the　man　can　do　in　these　sad　circumstances；　grows　to　be　all　he　has　the　idea　of　doing；　of　his　or　any　other　man's　ever　doing；　or　ever　having　done；　in　any　circumstances。　　Sad；　enough。　　Alas；　it　is　our　saddest　woe　of　all；too　sad　for　being　spoken　of　at　present；　while　all　or　nearly　all　men　consider　it　an　imaginary　sorrow　on　my　part！
  Let　the　young　English　soul；　in　whatever　logic…shop　and　nonsense…verse　establishment　of　an　Eton；　Oxford；　Edinburgh；　Halle；　Salamanca；　or　other　High　Finishing…School；　he　may　be　getting　his　young　idea　taught　how　to　speak　and　spout；　and　print　sermons　and　review…articles；　and　thereby　show　himself　and　fond　patrons　that　it　_is_　an　idea；lay　this　solemnly　to　heart；　this　is　my　deepest　counsel　to　him！　　The　idea　you　have　once　spoken；　if　it　even　were　an　idea；　is　no　longer　yours；　it　is　gone　from　you；　so　much　life　and　virtue　is　gone；　and　the　vital　circulations　of　your　self　and　your　destiny　and　activity　are　henceforth　deprived　of　it。　　If　you　could　not　get　it　spoken；　if　you　could　still　constrain　it　into　silence；　so　much　the　richer　are　you。　Better　keep　your　idea　while　you　can：　　let　it　still　circulate　in　your　blood；　and　there　fructify；　inarticulately　inciting　you　to　good　activities；　giving　to　your　whole　spiritual　life　a　ruddier　health。　　When　the　time　does　come　for　speaking　it；　you　will　speak　it　all　the　more　concisely；　the　more　expressively；　appropriately；　and　if　such　a　time　should　never　come；　have　you　not　already　acted　it；　and　uttered　it　as　no　words　can？　　Think　of　this；　my　young　friend；　for　there　is　nothing　truer；　nothing　more　forgotten　in　these　shabby　gold…laced　days。　　Incontinence　is　half　of　all　the　sins　of　man。　　And　among　the　many　kinds　of　that　base　vice；　I　know　none　baser；　or　at　present　half　so　fell　and　fatal；　as　that　same　Incontinence　of　Tongue。　　〃Public　speaking；〃　〃parliamentary　eloquence：〃　　it　is　a　Moloch；　before　whom　young　souls　are　made　to　pass　through　the　fire。　　They　enter；　weeping　or　rejoicing；　fond　parents　consecrating　them　to　the　red…hot　Idol；　as　to　the　Highest　God：　and　they　come　out　spiritually　_dead_。　　Dead　enough；　to　live　thenceforth　a　galvanic　life　of　mere　Stump…Oratory；　screeching　and　gibbering；　words　without　wisdom；　without　veracity；　without　conviction　more　than　skin…deep。　A　divine　gift；　that？　　It　is　a　thing　admired　by　the　vulgar；　and　rewarded　with　seats　in　the　Cabinet　and　other　preciosities；　but　to　the　wise；　it　is　a　thing　not　admirable；　not　adorable；　unmelodious　rather；　and　ghastly　and　bodeful；　as　the　speech　of　sheeted　spectres　in　the　streets　at　midnight！
  Be　not　a　Public　Orator；　thou　brave　young　British　man；　thou　that　art　now　growing　to　be　something：　　not　a　Stump…Orator；　if　thou　canst　help　it。　Appeal　not　to　the　vulgar；　with　its　long　ears　and　its　seats　in　the　Cabinet；　not　by　spoken　words　to　the　vulgar；　_hate_　the　profane　vulgar；　and　bid　it　begone。　　Appeal　by　silent　work；　by　silent　suffering　if　there　be　no　work；　to　the　gods；　who　have　nobler　than　seats　in　the　Cabinet　for　thee！　　Talent　for　Literature；　thou　hast　such　a　talent？　　Believe　it　not；　be　slow　to　believe　it！　　To　speak；　or　to　write；　Nature　did　not　peremptorily　order　thee；　but　to　work　she　did。　　And　know　this：　　there　never　was　a　talent　even　for　real　Literature；　not　to　speak　of　talents　lost　and　damned　in　doing　sham　Literature；　but　was　primarily　a　talent　for　something　infinitely　better　of　the　silent　kind。　　Of　Literature；　in　all　ways；　be　shy　rather　than　otherwise；　at　present！　　There　where　thou　art；　work；　work；　whatsoever　thy　hand　findeth　to　do；　do　it；with　the　hand　of　a　man；　not　of　a　phantasm；　be　that　thy　unnoticed　blessedness　and　exceeding　great　reward。　　Thy　words；　let　them　be　few；　and　well…ordered。　　Love　silence　rather　than　speech　in　these　tragic　days；　when；　for　very　speaking；　the　voice　of　man　has　fallen　inarticulate　to　man；　and　hearts；　in　this　loud　babbling；　sit　dark　and　dumb　towards　one　another。　　Witty；above　all；　oh　be　not　witty：　　none　of　us　is　bound　to　be　witty；　under　penalties；　to　be　wise　and　true　we　all　are；　under　the　terriblest　penalties！
  Brave　young　friend；　dear　to　me；　and　_known_　too　in　a　sense；　though　never　seen；　nor　to　be　seen　by　me；you　are；　what　I　am　not；　in　the　happy　case　to　learn　to　_be_　something　and　to　_do_　something；　instead　of　eloquently　talking　about　what　has　been　and　was　done　and　may　be！　　The　old　are　what　they　are；　and　will　not　alter；　our　hope　is　in　you。　　England's　hope；　and　the　world's；　is　that　there　may　once　more　be　millions　such；　instead　of　units　as　now。　　_Macte；　i　fausto　pede_。　　And　may　future　generations；　acquainted　again　with　the　silences；　and　once　more　cognizant　of　what　is　noble　and　faithful　and　divine；　look　back　on　us　with　pity　and　incredulous　astonishment！
  End