He
did not desire that they should be helped, but that they should
depend upon him for help. Nothing could undeceive him as to his own
motive, because he gave his time and his money freely; yet the
result was that most of the people whom he helped tended to resent
it in the end, because he demanded services in return, and was
jealous of any other interference. Chateaubriand says that it is
not true gratitude to wish to repay favours promptly and still less
is it true benevolence to wish to retain a hold over those whom one
has benefited.
Sometimes indeed the two strains are almost inextricably
intertwined, real and vital sympathy with others, combined with an
overwhelming sense of personal significance; and then the problem
is an inconceivably complicated one. For I suppose it must be
frankly confessed that the basis of the dramatic sense is not a
very wholesome one; it is, of course, a strong form of
individualism. But while it is true that we suffer from taking
ourselves too seriously, it is also possible to suffer from not
taking ourselves seriously enough.
Pages:
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236