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dried…up friend。
Well；he said；I am hospitable enough in my feelings to him and
all his tribe。 These specialists are the coral…insects that build up
a reef。 By and by it will be an island； and for aught we know may
grow into a continent。 But I don't want to be a coral…insect myself。
I had rather be a voyager that visits all the reefs and islands the
creatures build； and sails over the seas where they have as yet built
up nothing。 I am a little afraid that science is breeding us down
too fast into coral…insects。 A man like Newton or Leibnitz or Haller
used to paint a picture of outward or inward nature with a free hand；
and stand back and look at it as a whole and feel like an archangel；
but nowadays you have a Society； and they come together and make a
great mosaic； each man bringing his little bit and sticking it in its
place； but so taken up with his petty fragment that he never thinks
of looking at the picture the little bits make when they are put
together。 You can't get any talk out of these specialists away from
their own subjects； any more than you can get help from a policeman
outside of his own beat。
Yes；said I；but why should n't we always set a man talking about
the thing he knows best？
No doubt； no doubt； if you meet him once； but what are you going to
do with him if you meet him every day？ I travel with a man and we
want to make change very often in paying bills。 But every time I ask
him to change a pistareen； or give me two fo'pencehappennies for a
ninepence； or help me to make out two and thrippence （mark the old
Master's archaisms about the currency）； what does the fellow do but
put his hand in his pocket and pull out an old Roman coin； I have no
change； says he； but this assarion of Diocletian。 Mighty deal of
good that'll do me！
It isn't quite so handy as a few specimens of the modern currency
would be； but you can pump him on numismatics。
To be sure； to be sure。 I've pumped a thousand men of all they
could teach me； or at least all I could learn from 'em； and if it
comes to that； I never saw the man that couldn't teach me something。
I can get along with everybody in his place； though I think the place
of some of my friends is over there among the feeble…minded pupils；
and I don't believe there's one of them； I couldn't go to school to
for half an hour and be the wiser for it。 But people you talk with
every day have got to have feeders for their minds； as much as the
stream that turns a millwheel has。 It isn't one little rill that's
going to keep the float…boards turning round。 Take a dozen of the
brightest men you can find in the brightest city； wherever that may
be；perhaps you and I think we know；and let 'em come together once
a month； and you'll find out in the course of a year or two the ones
that have feeders from all the hillsides。 Your common talkers； that
exchange the gossip of the day； have no wheel in particular to turn；
and the wash of the rain as it runs down the street is enough for
them。
Do you mean you can always see the sources from which a man fills
his mind；his feeders； as you call them？
…I don't go quite so far as that；the Master said。…I've seen men
whose minds were always overflowing； and yet they did n't read much
nor go much into the world。 Sometimes you'll find a bit of a pond…
hole in a pasture； and you'll plunge your walking…stick into it and
think you are going to touch bottom。 But you find you are mistaken。
Some of these little stagnant pond…holes are a good deal deeper than
you think； you may tie a stone to a bed…cord and not get soundings in
some of 'em。 The country boys will tell you they have no bottom； but
that only means that they are mighty deep； and so a good many
stagnant； stupid…seeming people are a great deal deeper than the
length of your intellectual walking…stick； I can tell you。 There are
hidden springs that keep the little pond…holes full when the mountain
brooks are all dried up。 You poets ought to know that。
I can't help thinking you are more tolerant towards the specialists
than I thought at first； by the way you seemed to look at our dried…
up neighbor and his small pursuits。
I don't like the word tolerant；the Master said。…As long as the
Lord can tolerate me I think I can stand my fellow…creatures。
Philosophically； I love 'em all； empirically； I don't think I am very
fond of all of 'em。 It depends on how you look at a man or a woman。
Come here； Youngster； will you？ he said to That Boy。
The Boy was trying to catch a blue…bottle to add to his collection；
and was indisposed to give up the chase； but he presently saw that
the Master had taken out a small coin and laid it on the table； and
felt himself drawn in that direction。
Read that；said the Master。
U…n…i…ni United States of America 5 cents。
The Master turned the coin over。 Now read that。
In God is our t…r…u…s…ttrust。 1869。
Is that the same piece of money as the other one？
There ain't any other one；said the Boy； there ain't but one； but
it's got two sides to it with different reading。
That 's it； that 's it；said the Master；two sides to everybody；
as there are to that piece of money。 I've seen an old woman that
wouldn't fetch five cents if you should put her up for sale at public
auction； and yet come to read the other side of her； she had a trust
in God Almighty that was like the bow anchor of a three…decker。 It's
faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life
worth looking at。 I don't think your ant…eating specialist； with his
sharp nose and pin…head eyes； is the best every…day companion； but
any man who knows one thing well is worth listening to for once； and
if you are of the large…brained variety of the race； and want to fill
out your programme of the Order of Things in a systematic and
exhaustive way； and get all the half…notes and flats and sharps of
humanity into your scale； you'd a great deal better shut your front
door and open your two side ones when you come across a fellow that
has made a real business of doing anything。
That Boy stood all this time looking hard at the five…cent piece。
Take it；said the Master； with a good…natured smile。
The Boy made a snatch at it and was off for the purpose of
investing it。
A child naturally snaps at a thing as a dog does at his meat；said
the Master。…If you think of it； we've all been quadrupeds。 A child
that can only crawl has all the instincts of a four…footed beast。 It
carries things in its mouth just as cats and dogs do。 I've seen the
little brutes do it over and over again。 I suppose a good many
children would stay quadrupeds all their lives； if they didn't learn
the trick of walking on their hind legs from seeing all the grown
people walking in that way。
Do you accept Mr。 Darwin's notions about the origin of the race？
said I。
The Master looked at me with that twinkle in his eye which means that
he is going to parry a question。
Better stick to Blair's Chronology； that settles it。 Adam and Eve；
created Friday； October 28th； B。 C。 4004。 You've been in a ship for
a good while； and here comes Mr。 Darwin on deck with an armful of
sticks and says； 〃Let's build a r