I would try to trace what I believe the essence of the simple life to be; it lies very far down in the spirit, among the roots of life.  The first requisite is a perfect sincerity of character.  This implies many things:  it means a joyful temperance of soul, a certain clearness and strength of temperament.  The truly simple person must not be vague and indeterminate, swayed by desire or shifting emotion; he must meet others with a candid frankness, he must have no petty ambitions, he must have wide and genial interests, he must be quick to discern what is beautiful and wise; he must have a clear and straightforward point of view; he must act on his own intuitions and beliefs, not simply try to find out what other people are thinking and try to think it too; he must in short be free from conventionality.  The essence of the really simple character is that a man should accept his environment and circle; if he is born in the so-called world, he need not seek to fly from it.  Such a character as I have described has a marvellous power of evoking what is sincere and simple in other natures; such a one will tend to believe that other people are as straightforward and genuine as himself; and he will not be wholly mistaken, because when they are with him, they will be simple too.  The simple person will have a strong, but not a Pharisaical, sense of duty; he will probably credit other people with the same sense of duty, and he will not often feel himself bound to disapprove of others, reserving his indignation for any instances of cruelty, meanness, falseness, and selfishness that he may encounter.  He will not be suspicious or envious.  Yet he will not necessarily be what is called a religious man, because his religion will be rather vital than technical.  To be religious in the technical sense of the word —­to care, that is, for religious services and solemnities, for priestly influences, for intricate doctrinal emotions—­implies a strong artistic sense, and is often very far removed from any simplicity of conduct.  But on the other hand the simple man will have a strong sense of responsibility, a deep confidence in the Will of God and His high purposes.

And thus the simple man will scarcely be a man of leisure, because there is so much that he will desire to do, and which he will feel called upon to do.  Whatever he considers to be his work, he will do with a cheerful energy, which will sustain him far beyond the threshold of fatigue.  His personal wants will be few; he will not care for spending money for the sake of spending it, but he will be liberal and generous whenever there is need.  He will be uneasy in luxury.  He will be a lover of the open air and of the country, but his aim will be exercise, and the sense of health and vigour, rather than amusement.  He will never be reduced to asking himself how he is going to spend the day, for the present day, and a long perspective of days ahead, will already be full by anticipation.  He will take work, amusement,