They tell us it was "luxury" that ruined the Romans. But was
luxury the START? Wasn't it only the means to the FINISH?
Eating a grouse destroys in itself, no more moral fiber than
eating a ham sandwich. Bismarck, whether he slept on eider-down
or on straw, arose Bismarck.
The person who has a job and who does it is very considerably
immunized against the consequences of luxury. First, because he
is giving a return for it. Second, because he hasn't much time
for it.
On the other hand we see the hobo who won't work ruining himself
on the luxury of stable-floors and of free-lunch counters, just
as thoroughly as any nobleman who won't work can ever ruin
himself on the luxury of castles and game preserves.
It is clearly the habitual enjoyment of either grouse or ham
sandwiches, of either eiderdown or straw, WITHOUT SERVICE
RENDERED AND WITHOUT FATIGUE ENDURED, that ultimately desiccates
the moral character and drains it of all capacity for effort.
Marie was as reasonable a proposition as that two and two make
four.
She had given her early, plastic, formative years to acquiring
the HABIT of effortless enjoyment, and when the time for making
an effort came, the effort just wasn't in her.
Pages:
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534