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bad taste of itself behind； according to the manner of the
performance。 The result is that； quite apart from the immediate
pleasure which any sensible experience may give us； our own
general moral attitude in procuring or undergoing the experience
brings with it a secondary satisfaction or distaste。 Some men
and women； indeed； there are who can live on smiles and the word
〃yes〃 forever。 But for others （indeed for most）； this is too
tepid and relaxed a moral climate。 Passive happiness is slack
and insipid； and soon grows mawkish and intolerable。 Some
austerity and wintry negativity； some roughness； danger；
stringency； and effort； some 〃no！ no！〃 must be mixed in； to
produce the sense of an existence with character and texture and
power。 The range of individual differences in this respect is
enormous； but whatever the mixture of yeses and noes may be； the
person is infallibly aware when he has struck it in the right
proportion FOR HIM。 This； he feels； is my proper vocation； this
is the OPTIMUM； the law； the life for me to live。 Here I find
the degree of equilibrium； safety； calm； and leisure which I
need； or here I find the challenge； passion； fight； and hardship
without which my soul's energy expires。
Every individual soul； in short； like every individual machine
or organism； has its own best conditions of efficiency。 A given
machine will run best under a certain steam…pressure； a certain
amperage； an organism under a certain diet； weight； or exercise。
You seem to do best； I heard a doctor say to a patient； at about
140 millimeters of arterial tension。 And it is just so with our
sundry souls： some are happiest in calm weather； some need the
sense of tension； of strong volition； to make them feel alive and
well。 For these latter souls； whatever is gained from day to day
must be paid for by sacrifice and inhibition； or else it comes
too cheap and has no zest。
Now when characters of this latter sort become religious； they
are apt to turn the edge of their need of effort and negativity
against their natural self； and the ascetic life gets evolved as
a consequence。
When Professor Tyndall in one of his lectures tells us that
Thomas Carlyle put him into his bath…tub every morning of a
freezing Berlin winter； he proclaimed one of the lowest grades of
asceticism。 Even without Carlyle； most of us find it necessary
to our soul's health to start the day with a rather cool
immersion。 A little farther along the scale we get such
statements as this； from one of my correspondents； an agnostic：
〃Often at night in my warm bed I would feel ashamed to depend so
on the warmth； and whenever the thought would come over me I
would have to get up； no matter what time of night it was； and
stand for a minute in the cold； just so as to prove my manhood。〃
Such cases as these belong simply to our head 1。 In the next
case we probably have a mixture of heads 2 and 3 the asceticism
becomes far more systematic and pronounced。 The writer is a
Protestant； whose sense of moral energy could doubtless be
gratified on no lower terms； and I take his case from Starbuck's
manuscript collection。
〃I practiced fasting and mortification of the flesh。 I secretly
made burlap shirts； and put the burrs next the skin； and wore
pebbles in my shoes。 I would spend nights flat on my back on the
floor without any covering。〃
The Roman Church has organized and codified all this sort of
thing； and given it a market…value in the shape of 〃merit。〃
But we see the cultivation of hardship cropping out under every
sky and in every faith； as a spontaneous need of character。 Thus
we read of Channing； when first settled as a Unitarian minister；
that
〃He was now more simple than ever； and seemed to have become
incapable of any form of self…indulgence。 He took the smallest
room in the house for his study； though he might easily have
commanded one more light； airy； and in every way more suitable；
and chose for his sleeping chamber an attic which he shared with
a younger brother。 The furniture of the latter might have
answered for the cell of an anchorite； and consisted of a hard
mattress on a cot…bedstead； plain wooden chairs and table； with
matting on the floor。 It was without fire； and to cold he was
throughout life extremely sensitive； but he never complained or
appeared in any way to be conscious of inconvenience。 'I
recollect；' says his brother； 'after one most severe night； that
in the morning he sportively thus alluded to his suffering： 〃If
my bed were my country； I should be somewhat like Bonaparte： I
have no control except over the part which I occupy； the instant
I move； frost takes possession。〃' In sickness only would he
change for the time his apartment and accept a few comforts。 The
dress too that he habitually adopted was of most inferior
quality； and garments were constantly worn which the world would
call mean； though an almost feminine neatness preserved him from
the least appearance of neglect。〃＇177＇
＇177＇ Memoirs of W。 E。 Channing； Boston； 1840； i。 196。
Channing's asceticism； such as it was； was evidently a compound
of hardihood and love of purity。 The democracy which is an
offshoot of the enthusiasm of humanity； and of which I will speak
later under the head of the cult of poverty； doubtless bore also
a share。 Certainly there was no pessimistic element in his case。
In the next case we have a strongly pessimistic element； so that
it belongs under head 4。 John Cennick was Methodism's first lay
preacher。 In 1735 he was convicted of sin； while walking in
Cheapside
〃And at once left off sing…singing； card…playing； and attending
theatres。 Sometimes he wished to go to a popish monastery； to
spend his life in devout retirement。 At other times he longed to
live in a cave； sleeping on fallen leaves； and feeding on forest
fruits。 He fasted long and often； and prayed nine times a day。 。
。 。 Fancying dry bread too great an indulgence for so great a
sinner as himself； he began to feed on potatoes； acorns； crabs；
and grass； and often wished that he could live on roots and
herbs。 At length； in 1737； he found peace with God； and went on
his way rejoicing。〃＇178＇
＇178＇ L。 Tyerman： The Life and Times of the Rev。 John Wesley； i。
274。
In this poor man we have morbid melancholy and fear； and the
sacrifices made are to purge out sin； and to buy safety。 The
hopelessness of Christian the