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moral constitution。
O。M。 It is a COLORLESS force seated in the man's moral constitution。
Let us call it an instincta blind； unreasoning instinct； which cannot
and does not distinguish between good morals and bad ones； and cares
nothing for results to the man provided its own contentment be secured；
and it will ALWAYS secure that。
Y。M。 It seeks money； and it probably considers that that is
an advantage for the man？
O。M。 It is not always seeking money； it is not always
seeking power； nor office； nor any other MATERIAL advantage。 In
ALL cases it seeks a SPIRITUAL contentment； let the MEANS be what
they may。 Its desires are determined by the man's temperament
and it is lord over that。 Temperament； Conscience；
Susceptibility； Spiritual Appetite； are； in fact； the same thing。
Have you ever heard of a person who cared nothing for money？
Y。M。 Yes。 A scholar who would not leave his garret and his
books to take a place in a business house at a large salary。
O。M。 He had to satisfy his masterthat is to say； his temperament；
his Spiritual Appetiteand it preferred books to money。 Are there
other cases？
Y。M。 Yes； the hermit。
O。M。 It is a good instance。 The hermit endures solitude；
hunger； cold； and manifold perils； to content his autocrat； who
prefers these things； and prayer and contemplation； to money or
to any show or luxury that money can buy。 Are there others？
Y。M。 Yes。 The artist； the poet； the scientist。
O。M。 Their autocrat prefers the deep pleasures of these
occupations； either well paid or ill paid； to any others in the
market； at any price。 You REALIZE that the Master Passionthe
contentment of the spiritconcerns itself with many things
besides so…called material advantage； material prosperity； cash；
and all that？
Y。M。 I think I must concede it。
O。M。 I believe you must。 There are perhaps as many
Temperaments that would refuse the burdens and vexations and
distinctions of public office as there are that hunger after
them。 The one set of Temperaments seek the contentment of the
spirit； and that alone； and this is exactly the case with the
other set。 Neither set seeks anything BUT the contentment of the
spirit。 If the one is sordid； both are sordid； and equally so；
since the end in view is precisely the same in both cases。 And
in both cases Temperament decides the preferenceand Temperament
is BORN； not made。
Conclusion
O。M。 You have been taking a holiday？
Y。M。 Yes； a mountain tramp covering a week。 Are you ready to talk？
O。M。 Quite ready。 What shall we begin with？
Y。M。 Well； lying abed resting up； two days and nights； I
have thought over all these talks； and passed them carefully in
review。 With this result： that 。 。 。 that 。 。 。 are you
intending to publish your notions about Man some day？
O。M。 Now and then； in these past twenty years； the Master
inside of me has half…intended to order me to set them to paper
and publish them。 Do I have to tell you why the order has
remained unissued； or can you explain so simply a thing without
my help？
Y。M。 By your doctrine； it is simplicity itself： outside
influences moved your interior Master to give the order； stronger
outside influences deterred him。 Without the outside influences；
neither of these impulses could ever have been born； since a
person's brain is incapable or originating an idea within itself。
O。M。 Correct。 Go on。
Y。M。 The matter of publishing or withholding is still in your
Master's hands。 If some day an outside influence shall determine
him to publish； he will give the order； and it will be obeyed。
O。M。 That is correct。 Well？
Y。M。 Upon reflection I have arrived at the conviction
that the publication of your doctrines would be harmful。
Do you pardon me？
O。M。 Pardon YOU？ You have done nothing。 You are an
instrumenta speaking…trumpet。 Speaking…trumpets are not
responsible for what is said through them。 Outside influences
in the form of lifelong teachings； trainings； notions；
prejudices； and other second…hand importationshave persuaded
the Master within you that the publication of these doctrines
would be harmful。 Very well； this is quite natural； and was to
be expected； in fact； was inevitable。 Go on； for the sake of
ease and convenience； stick to habit： speak in the first person；
and tell me what your Master thinks about it。
Y。M。 Well； to begin： it is a desolating doctrine； it is
not inspiring； enthusing； uplifting。 It takes the glory out of
man； it takes the pride out of him； it takes the heroism out of
him； it denies him all personal credit； all applause； it not only
degrades him to a machine； but allows him no control over the
machine； makes a mere coffee…mill of him； and neither permits him
to supply the coffee nor turn the crank； his sole and piteously
humble function being to grind coarse or fine； according to his
make； outside impulses doing the rest。
O。M。 It is correctly stated。 Tell mewhat do men admire
most in each other？
Y。M。 Intellect； courage； majesty of build； beauty of
countenance； charity； benevolence； magnanimity； kindliness；
heroism； andand
O。M。 I would not go any further。 These are ELEMENTALS。
Virtue； fortitude； holiness； truthfulness； loyalty； high ideals
these； and all the related qualities that are named in the
dictionary； are MADE OF THE ELEMENTALS； by blendings；
combinations； and shadings of the elementals； just as one makes
green by blending blue and yellow； and makes several shades and
tints of red by modifying the elemental red。 There are several
elemental colors； they are all in the rainbow； out of them we
manufacture and name fifty shades of them。 You have named the
elementals of the human rainbow； and also one BLENDheroism；
which is made out of courage and magnanimity。 Very well； then；
which of these elements does the possessor of it manufacture for
himself？ Is it intellect？
Y。M。 No。
O。M。 Why？
Y。M。 He is born with it。
O。M。 Is it courage？
Y。M。 No。 He is born with it。
O。M。 Is it majesty of build； beauty of countenance？
Y。M。 No。 They are birthrights。
O。M。 Take those othersthe elemental moral qualities
charity； benevolence； magnanimity； kindliness； fruitful seeds；
out of which spring； through cultivation by outside influences；
all the manifold blends and combinations of virtues named in the
dictionaries： does man manufacture any of those seeds； or are
they all born in him？
Y。M。 Born in him。
O。M。 Who manufactures them； then？
Y。M。 God。
O。M。 Where does the credit of it belong？
Y。M。 To God。
O。M。 And the glory of which you spoke； and the applause？
Y。M。 To God。
O。M。 Then it is YOU who degrade man。 You make him claim
glory； praise； flattery； for every valuable thing he possesses
BORROWED finery； the whole of it； no rag of it earn