HOW TO ATTAIN TRUE GREATNESS. 81

 

“Tt is a moral law, that any peculiar
tendency or quality of the mind grows
stronger by indulgence. The converse of
the proposition is, of course, true. also.
You feel, then, that your motives of action
are selfish—that they regard your own
elevation and honour as first, and good
to your neighbour as only secondary.
Now, by opposing instead of indulging
this propensity to make all things minister
to self, it must grow weaker, as a natural
consequence. Is not that clear ?”

“Why, yes, I believe it is; or at least,
the inference is a logical one, though I
must confess that I do not see it as an
unquestionable truth.”

“That is because your natural feelings
are altogether opposed to it.”

“Perhaps so—for undoubtedly they are.
I cannot see any thing so very. desirable
in the motive of which you speak, that I
should seek to act from it. There is some-
thing tame in the idea of nn only to
do good to others.”