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garden wall。 The color of this cat brought the bygone cat before
me； and I saw her walking along the side…step of the pulpit； saw
her walk on to a large sheet of sticky fly…paper and get all her
feet involved； saw her struggle and fall down； helpless and
dissatisfied； more and more urgent； more and more unreconciled；
more and more mutely profane； saw the silent congregation
quivering like jelly； and the tears running down their faces。 I
saw it all。 The sight of the tears whisked my mind to a far
distant and a sadder scenein Terra del Fuegoand with Darwin's
eyes I saw a naked great savage hurl his little boy against the
rocks for a trifling fault； saw the poor mother gather up her
dying child and hug it to her breast and weep； uttering no word。
Did my mind stop to mourn with that nude black sister of mine？
Noit was far away from that scene in an instant； and was
busying itself with an ever…recurring and disagreeable dream of
mine。 In this dream I always find myself； stripped to my shirt；
cringing and dodging about in the midst of a great drawing…room
throng of finely dressed ladies and gentlemen； and wondering how
I got there。 And so on and so on； picture after picture；
incident after incident； a drifting panorama of ever…changing；
ever…dissolving views manufactured by my mind without any help
from mewhy； it would take me two hours to merely name the
multitude of things my mind tallied off and photographed in
fifteen minutes； let alone describe them to you。
O。M。 A man's mind； left free； has no use for his help。 But
there is one way whereby he can get its help when he desires it。
Y。M。 What is that way？
O。M。 When your mind is racing along from subject to subject
and strikes an inspiring one； open your mouth and begin talking
upon that matterortake your pen and use that。 It will
interest your mind and concentrate it； and it will pursue the
subject with satisfaction。 It will take full charge； and furnish
the words itself。
Y。M。 But don't I tell it what to say？
O。M。 There are certainly occasions when you haven't time。
The words leap out before you know what is coming。
Y。M。 For instance？
O。M。 Well； take a 〃flash of wit〃repartee。 Flash is the
right word。 It is out instantly。 There is no time to arrange
the words。 There is no thinking； no reflecting。 Where there is
a wit…mechanism it is automatic in its action and needs no help。
Where the whit…mechanism is lacking； no amount of study and
reflection can manufacture the product。
Y。M。 You really think a man originates nothing； creates nothing。
The Thinking…Process
O。M。 I do。 Men perceive； and their brain…machines
automatically combine the things perceived。 That is all。
Y。M。 The steam…engine？
O。M。 It takes fifty men a hundred years to invent it。 One
meaning of invent is discover。 I use the word in that sense。
Little by little they discover and apply the multitude of details
that go to make the perfect engine。 Watt noticed that confined
steam was strong enough to lift the lid of the teapot。 He didn't
create the idea； he merely discovered the fact； the cat had
noticed it a hundred times。 From the teapot he evolved the
cylinderfrom the displaced lid he evolved the piston…rod。 To
attach something to the piston…rod to be moved by it； was a
simple mattercrank and wheel。 And so there was a working
engine。 ＇1＇
One by one； improvements were discovered by men who used
their eyes； not their creating powersfor they hadn't anyand
now； after a hundred years the patient contributions of fifty or
a hundred observers stand compacted in the wonderful machine
which drives the ocean liner。
Y。M。 A Shakespearean play？
O。M。 The process is the same。 The first actor was a
savage。 He reproduced in his theatrical war…dances； scalp…
dances； and so on； incidents which he had seen in real life。 A
more advanced civilization produced more incidents； more
episodes； the actor and the story…teller borrowed them。 And so
the drama grew； little by little； stage by stage。 It is made up
of the facts of life； not creations。 It took centuries to
develop the Greek drama。 It borrowed from preceding ages； it
lent to the ages that came after。 Men observe and combine； that
is all。 So does a rat。
Y。M。 How？
O。M。 He observes a smell； he infers a cheese； he seeks and
finds。 The astronomer observes this and that； adds his this and
that to the this…and…thats of a hundred predecessors； infers an
invisible planet； seeks it and finds it。 The rat gets into a
trap； gets out with trouble； infers that cheese in traps lacks
value； and meddles with that trap no more。 The astronomer is
very proud of his achievement； the rat is proud of his。 Yet both
are machines； they have done machine work； they have originated
nothing； they have no right to be vain； the whole credit belongs
to their Maker。 They are entitled to no honors； no praises； no
monuments when they die； no remembrance。 One is a complex and
elaborate machine； the other a simple and limited machine； but
they are alike in principle； function； and process； and neither
of them works otherwise than automatically； and neither of them
may righteously claim a PERSONAL superiority or a personal
dignity above the other。
Y。M。 In earned personal dignity； then； and in personal merit
for what he does； it follows of necessity that he is on the
same level as a rat？
O。M。 His brother the rat； yes； that is how it seems to me。
Neither of them being entitled to any personal merit for what he
does； it follows of necessity that neither of them has a right to
arrogate to himself （personally created） superiorities over his
brother。
Y。M。 Are you determined to go on believing in these
insanities？ Would you go on believing in them in the face of
able arguments backed by collated facts and instances？
O。M。 I have been a humble； earnest； and sincere Truth…Seeker。
Y。M。 Very well？
O。M。 The humble； earnest； and sincere Truth…Seeker is
always convertible by such means。
Y。M。 I am thankful to God to hear you say this； for now I
know that your conversion
O。M。 Wait。 You misunderstand。 I said I have BEEN a Truth…Seeker。
Y。M。 Well？
O。M。 I am not that now。 Have your forgotten？ I told you
that there are none but temporary Truth…Seekers； that a permanent
one is a human impossibility； that as soon as the Seeker finds
what he is thoroughly convinced is the Truth； he seeks no
further； but gives the rest of his days to hunting junk to patch
it and caulk it and prop it with； and make it weather…proof and
keep it from caving in on him。 Hence the Presbyterian remains a
Presbyterian； the Mohammedan a Mohammedan； the Spiritualist a
Spiritualist； the Democrat a Democrat； the Republican a
Republican； the Monarchist a Monarchist； and if a humble；
earnest； and sincere Seeker after Truth should find it in the
prop