We may say at once that this is fatal to any simplicity of
life; it may be that we cannot expect anyone who is born to such
splendours deliberately to forego them; but I am sure of this, that
a rich man, now and here, who spontaneously parted with his wealth,
and lived sparely in a small house, would make perhaps as powerful
an appeal to the imagination of the English world as could well be
made. If a man had a message to deliver, there could be no better
way of emphasizing it. It must not be a mere flight from the
anxiety of worldly life into a more congenial seclusion. It should
be done as Francis of Assisi did it, by continuing to live the life
of the world without any of its normal conveniences. Patent and
visible self-sacrifice, if it be accompanied by a tender love of
humanity, will always be the most impressive attitude in the world.
But if one is not capable of going to such lengths, if indeed one
has nothing that one can resign, how is it possible to practise
simplicity of life? It can be done by limiting one's needs, by
avoiding luxuries, by having nothing in one's house that one cannot
use, by being detached from pretentiousness, by being indifferent
to elaborate comforts.
Pages:
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191