His tone of contemptuous indulgence toward a more or
less captious clergy might be tolerated, but he should have shown a more
respectful sincerity in dealing with the sincere and the spiritual.
Laugh at Pharisaism as you will, but speak simply and plainly to honest
folk. [Footnote: "'Persifflez les pharisaismes, mais parlez droit aux
honnetes gens' me dit Amiel, avec une certaine aigreur. Mon Dieu, que
les honnetes gens sont souvent exposes a etre des pharisiens sans le
savoir!"--(M. Renan's article, already quoted).]
_Later_.--To understand is to be conscious of the fundamental unity of
the thing to be explained--that is to say, to conceive it in its
entirety both of life and development, to be able to remake it by a
mental process without making a mistake, without adding or omitting
anything. It means, first, complete identification of the object, and
then the power of making it clear to others by a full and just
interpretation. To understand is more difficult than to judge, for
understanding is the transference of the mind into the conditions of the
object, whereas judgment is simply the enunciation of the individual
opinion.
August 25, 1871. (_Charnex-sur-Montreux_).--Magnificent weather. The
morning seems bathed in happy peace, and a heavenly fragrance rises from
mountain and shore; it is as though a benediction were laid upon us.
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