Is it right, is it even possible for us to utter all our thoughts?  We reach a conclusion slowly, painfully, through a series of trials; it is the formula of the delicate equilibrium between the inward elements.  Change the elements, their proportions, their nature, the formula is no longer accurate and will produce different results, and if you suddenly communicate your whole thought to another, you run the risk of alarming, not helping him.  There are cases in which, if he had understood, it might have killed him.  Nature, however, is prudent and takes precautions.  Your friend does not comprehend you, because he cannot, his instinct will not let him; all that he gets from your thought is the shock when it touches his; the ball glances off, but it is not so easy to tell in what direction.

Men do not listen with their brains alone, but with their dispositions and their passions, and out of what you offer them, each chooses his own and rejects the rest, through a deep instinct of self-defence.  Our minds do not throw open the door to every new idea, but rather keep a wary eye on new-comers through a peep-hole.  The lofty thoughts of the sages, of Jesus, of Socrates; how were they received?  In those days men who spoke such things were killed; twenty years later they were treated as gods—­another way of killing them, in fact, by placing their thoughts at a distance, in the kingdom of heaven.  The world would indeed come to an end if such ideas were to be put in practice here and now; and their authors knew this well.  Perhaps they showed the greatness of their souls more by what they did not say than by what they did; how eloquent were the pathetic silences of Jesus!  The golden veil of the ancient symbols and myths, made to shield our weak timid sight!  Too often, what is for one the breath of life, is for another death, or worse, murder!

What are we to do, if our hands are full of verities?  Shall we spread them broadcast?—­Suppose the seed of thought may spring up in weeds or poisonous plants ...?

Poor thinker, there is no need to tremble, you are not the master of Fate, but you form part of it, you are one of its voices.  Speak, then; that is the law of your being.  Speak out your whole thought, but with kindness; be like a good mother.  It may not be given to her to make men of her children, but she can patiently teach them how to make men of themselves if they will.

You cannot set others free, in spite of them, and from the outside; and even if it were possible, what good would it do?  If they do not free themselves, tomorrow they will fall back into slavery.  All you can do is to set a good example, and say:  “There is the road, follow it and you will find Freedom.” ...

In spite of his resolution to do the best he could and leave the rest to the gods, it was fortunate for Clerambault that he could not see all the consequences of his ideas.  His thought aspired to the reign of Peace; and very probably it would contribute in some degree to the stirring up of social struggles, like all true pacifism, however paradoxical this may seem.  For true pacifism is a condemnation of the present.