"I can resist anything but temptation," says a character in one of Oscar
Wilde's plays. Too many of us have exactly this strength of will. We
perhaps do not fall into gross crime, but because of our flabby
resolution our lives become purposeless, negative, negligible. No one
would miss us in particular if we were out of the way.
I
O well for him whose will is strong!
He suffers, but he will not suffer long;
He suffers, but he cannot suffer wrong.
For him nor moves the loud world's random mock;
Nor all Calamity's hugest waves confound,
Who seems a promontory of rock,
That, compass'd round with turbulent sound,
In middle ocean meets the surging shock,
Tempest-buffeted, citadel-crown'd.