spectators and familiar curiosity! We are woven into a strong net and garment of duties, and CANNOT disengage ourselves — precisely here, we are “men of duty,” even we! Occasionally, it is true, we dance in our “chains” and betwixt our “swords”; it is none the less true that more often we gnash our teeth under the circumstances, and are impatient at the secret hardship of our lot. But do what we will, fools and appearances say of us: “These are men WITHOUT duty,” — we have always fools and appearances against us!

227. Honesty, granting that it is the virtue of which we cannot rid ourselves, we free spirits — well, we will labour at it with all our perversity and love, and not tire of “perfecting” ourselves in OUR virtue, which alone remains: may