FLEETINGS.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 79

FLEETINGS.

By T. J. P.

It has repeatedly been stated that man's character presents a three-fold aspect — first, as he appears in the eyes of others; second, as he appears to himself ; and third, as he really is. The first two aspects if is possible for the average intellect to comprehend, but the third belongs to a higher plane, unknowable, unattainable :n: n its entirety save to the sage and to the entities of a hidden world. How often have we heard the simple statement 'I ou<rht to know my own mind" made as a final and clinching argument, impossible to refute; yet self-knowledge, often considered as an axiom, is one of the highest attainments man is capable of. It is not what everybody starts out with, nor is it altogether" tho result of constant introspective analysis. It is a knowledge which develops contemporaneously with exterior knowledge ; it is a process of comparison. Just as the strings of a tuned musical instrument are set in motion by the sound waves in the air surrounding it— first the note of a like number of vibrations then the corresponding harmonics, — so do the experiences of life, the knowledge of our fellow-beings, the appreciation of Gods handiwork find a reciprocating chord in the inmost recesses of our nature. These notes however, are not for the mind stultified by prejudice, not for the heart ossified by selfishness and intolerance, but for the everlistening ear, the open heart, the humble and sensitised mind. The noblest scenes of the- earth ofttimes become common to the eye of a constant observer, and lose their subtle grandeur ; and the dweller amidst the squallor of the slums ceases to recognise their unloveliness. It is that part of our character which is in process of formation which we know, — the flower that unfolds its petals to the sunlight in a day, the branch that crashes down before the storm ; it is these we note, but the details of the permanent landscape are not recalled. How often do we find a man of great wisdom — the unconsciouslyaccumulated experience of the permanent in man— with but little reason. The building of that mental character for the time has ceased and given place to spiritual development. His reasoning, his. mental deductions may often be put to shame by a child, but the fruits of his unconscious character are a glory to his Creator. We look around, and we find a man whose life is swayed by reason, whose mental attributes are swift and unerring, but whose unconscious wisdom is as yet limited. To the former self-knowledge and introspective analysis are things unheard of, to the latter they constitute an interesting Chinese puzzle. But a knowledge of self to the large majority of mankind remains as a closed volume.

In many ways the world is so courteous that it is difficult to hear others' unprejudiced opinions of ourselves, but should we be so fortunate, they are almost invariably the outcome of some temporary emotion, favourable or unfavourable towards us, and, therefore, biassed. Nevertheless, we may deduce from these expressions enough to rid us of a few delusions, to fire us with a desire to eliminate and develop. The mere communion with others of varying temperaments and intellects tends to make normal distorted opinions and solidify the nebula of the wildest dreams. But in spits of the necessary constant reduction of this mental nebula, it is none the less an important factor in ev-ery life, and by a wise dispensation of Providence it defies crystallisation until it has served its purpose in.-«the building up of character, and is ready to be replaced by other nebulous agenls. Nevertheless., futile ambitions and false hopes may exist too long to have a beneficial influence, and delusions, however much they may for a time urge us on to greater effort, and however lofty and beautiful they may be, must withal be kaleidoscopic to be permanently csefoL Tires TO9 gc tJjwragla life consciously c?

unconsciously excavating with the aid of borrowed light in the dark caves of our own natures, finding here and there ;\ jewel, which perchance we are too eager to carry out into the full light of the world, but more often finding dried bones which we bury deeper still ; but never do we gain sufficient light to penetrate into tho deepest recesses and reveal the unconscious work of the ages.