"The more I think of the problems of our lives, the more I am persuaded
that we ought to choose Irony and Pity for our "assessors and judges"
as the ancient Egyptians called upon "the Goddess Isis and the Goddess
Nephtys" on behalf of their dead. "Irony and Pity" are both of good
counsel; the first with her "smiles" makes life agreeable; the other
sanctifies it with her tears." "The Irony which I invoke is no cruel
Deity. She mocks neither love nor beauty. She is gentle and kindly
disposed. Her mirth disarms and it is she who teaches us to laugh at
rogues and fools, whom but for her we might be so weak as to despise
and hate."
And with these wise words of a very great Frenchman I bid you farewell.
8 Barrow Street, New York. Saturday, June 26, xxi.