CONCORD, December 12, 1856.
MR. WILEY,[75]--It is refreshing to hear of your earnest purpose with
respect to your culture, and I can send you no better wish than that
you may not be thwarted by the cares and temptations of life. Depend
on it, _now_ is the accepted time, and probably you will never find
yourself better disposed or freer to attend to your culture than at
this moment. When _They_ who inspire us with the idea are ready, shall
not we be ready also?
I do not remember anything which Confucius has said directly
respecting man's "origin, purpose, and destiny." He was more practical
than that. He is full of wisdom applied to human relations,--to the
private life,--the family,--government, etc. It is remarkable that,
according to his own account, the sum and substance of his teaching
is, as you know, to do as you would be done by.
He also said (I translate from the French), "Conduct yourself suitably
towards the persons of your family, then you will be able to instruct
and to direct a nation of men."
"To nourish one's self with a little rice, to drink water, to have
only his bended arm to support his head, is a state which has also its
satisfaction. To be rich and honored by iniquitous means is for me as
the floating cloud which passes."
"As soon as a child is born he must respect its faculties: the
knowledge which will come to it by and by does not resemble at all its
present state. If it arrive at the age of forty or fifty years without
having learned anything, it is no more worthy of any respect." This
last, I think, will speak to your condition.
But at this rate I might fill many letters.
Our acquaintance with the ancient Hindoos is not at all personal. The
full names that can be relied upon are very shadowy. It is, however,
tangible works that we know. The best I think of are the Bhagvat Geeta
(an episode in an ancient heroic poem called the Mahabarat), the
Vedas, the Vishnu Purana, the Institutes of Menu, etc.
I cannot say that Swedenborg has been directly and practically
valuable to me, for I have not been a reader of him, except to a
slight extent; but I have the highest regard for him, and trust that I
shall read his works in some world or other. He had a wonderful
knowledge of our interior and spiritual life, though his illuminations
are occasionally blurred by trivialities. He comes nearer to
answering, or attempting to answer, literally, your questions
concerning man's origin, purpose, and destiny, than any of the
worthies I have referred to. But I think that that is not _altogether_
a recommendation; since such an answer to these questions cannot be
discovered any more than perpetual motion, for which no reward is now
offered. The noblest man it is, methinks, that knows, and by his life
suggests, the most about these things. Crack away at these nuts,
however, as long as you can,--the very exercise will ennoble you, and
you may get something better than the answer you expect.