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O。M。 Haven't I put YOU FIRST； and your neighbor and the
community AFTERWARD？
Y。M。 Well； yes； that is a difference； it is true。
O。M。 The difference between straight speaking and crooked；
the difference between frankness and shuffling。
Y。M。 Explain。
O。M。 The others offer your a hundred bribes to be good；
thus conceding that the Master inside of you must be conciliated
and contented first； and that you will do nothing at FIRST HAND
but for his sake； then they turn square around and require you to
do good for OTHER'S sake CHIEFLY； and to do your duty for duty's
SAKE； chiefly； and to do acts of SELF…SACRIFICE。 Thus at the
outset we all stand upon the same groundrecognition of the
supreme and absolute Monarch that resides in man； and we all
grovel before him and appeal to him； then those others dodge and
shuffle； and face around and unfrankly and inconsistently and
illogically change the form of their appeal and direct its
persuasions to man's SECOND…PLACE powers and to powers which have
NO EXISTENCE in him； thus advancing them to FIRST place； whereas
in my Admonition I stick logically and consistently to the
original position： I place the Interior Master's requirements
FIRST； and keep them there。
Y。M。 If we grant； for the sake of argument； that your
scheme and the other schemes aim at and produce the same result
RIGHT LIVINGhas yours an advantage over the others？
O。M。 One； yesa large one。 It has no concealments； no
deceptions。 When a man leads a right and valuable life under it
he is not deceived as to the REAL chief motive which impels him
to itin those other cases he is。
Y。M。 Is that an advantage？ Is it an advantage to live a
lofty life for a mean reason？ In the other cases he lives the
lofty life under the IMPRESSION that he is living for a lofty
reason。 Is not that an advantage？
O。M。 Perhaps so。 The same advantage he might get out of
thinking himself a duke； and living a duke's life and parading in
ducal fuss and feathers； when he wasn't a duke at all； and could
find it out if he would only examine the herald's records。
Y。M。 But anyway； he is obliged to do a duke's part； he puts
his hand in his pocket and does his benevolences on as big a
scale as he can stand； and that benefits the community。
O。M。 He could do that without being a duke。
Y。M。 But would he？
O。M。 Don't you see where you are arriving？
Y。M。 Where？
O。M。 At the standpoint of the other schemes： That it is
good morals to let an ignorant duke do showy benevolences for his
pride's sake； a pretty low motive； and go on doing them unwarned；
lest if he were made acquainted with the actual motive which
prompted them he might shut up his purse and cease to be good？
Y。M。 But isn't it best to leave him in ignorance； as long
as he THINKS he is doing good for others' sake？
O。M。 Perhaps so。 It is the position of the other schemes。
They think humbug is good enough morals when the dividend on it
is good deeds and handsome conduct。
Y。M。 It is my opinion that under your scheme of a man's
doing a good deed for his OWN sake first…off； instead of first
for the GOOD DEED'S sake； no man would ever do one。
O。M。 Have you committed a benevolence lately？
Y。M。 Yes。 This morning。
O。M。 Give the particulars。
Y。M。 The cabin of the old negro woman who used to nurse me
when I was a child and who saved my life once at the risk of her
own； was burned last night； and she came mourning this morning；
and pleading for money to build another one。
O。M。 You furnished it？
Y。M。 Certainly。
O。M。 You were glad you had the money？
Y。M。 Money？ I hadn't。 I sold my horse。
O。M。 You were glad you had the horse？
Y。M。 Of course I was； for if I hadn't had the horse I
should have been incapable； and my MOTHER would have captured the
chance to set old Sally up。
O。M。 You were cordially glad you were not caught out and
incapable？
Y。M。 Oh； I just was！
O。M。 Now； then
Y。M。 Stop where you are！ I know your whole catalog of
questions； and I could answer every one of them without your
wasting the time to ask them； but I will summarize the whole
thing in a single remark： I did the charity knowing it was
because the act would give ME a splendid pleasure； and because
old Sally's moving gratitude and delight would give ME another
one； and because the reflection that she would be happy now and
out of her trouble would fill ME full of happiness。 I did the
whole thing with my eyes open and recognizing and realizing that
I was looking out for MY share of the profits FIRST。 Now then； I
have confessed。 Go on。
O。M。 I haven't anything to offer； you have covered the
whole ground。 Can you have been any MORE strongly moved to help
Sally out of her troublecould you have done the deed any more
eagerlyif you had been under the delusion that you were doing
it for HER sake and profit only？
Y。M。 No！ Nothing in the world could have made the impulse
which moved me more powerful； more masterful； more thoroughly
irresistible。 I played the limit！
O。M。 Very well。 You begin to suspectand I claim to KNOW
that when a man is a shade MORE STRONGLY MOVED to do ONE of two
things or of two dozen things than he is to do any one of the
OTHERS； he will infallibly do that ONE thing； be it good or be it
evil； and if it be good； not all the beguilements of all the
casuistries can increase the strength of the impulse by a single
shade or add a shade to the comfort and contentment he will get
out of the act。
Y。M。 Then you believe that such tendency toward doing good
as is in men's hearts would not be diminished by the removal of
the delusion that good deeds are done primarily for the sake of
No。 2 instead of for the sake of No。 1？
O。M。 That is what I fully believe。
Y。M。 Doesn't it somehow seem to take from the dignity of the deed？
O。M。 If there is dignity in falsity； it does。 It removes that。
Y。M。 What is left for the moralists to do？
O。M。 Teach unreservedly what he already teaches with one
side of his mouth and takes back with the other： Do right FOR
YOUR OWN SAKE； and be happy in knowing that your NEIGHBOR will
certainly share in the benefits resulting。
Y。M。 Repeat your Admonition。
O。M。 DILIGENTLY TRAIN YOUR IDEALS UPWARD AND STILL UPWARD
TOWARD A SUMMIT WHERE YOU WILL FIND YOUR CHIEFEST PLEASURE IN
CONDUCT WHICH； WHILE CONTENTING YOU； WILL BE SURE TO CONFER
BENEFITS UPON YOUR NEIGHBOR AND THE COMMUNITY。
Y。M。 One's EVERY act proceeds from EXTERIOR INFLUENCES； you think？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 If I conclude to rob a person； I am not the ORIGINATOR
of the idea； but it comes in from the OUTSIDE？ I see him
handling moneyfor instanceand THAT moves me to the crime？
O。M。 That； by itself？ Oh； certainly not。 It is merely the
LATEST outside influence of a procession of