第9部分(第3/7 頁)

　my　dogs。　I　sympathized　with

plants　when　the　flowers　were　picked；　because　I　thought　it　hurt　them；

and　that　they　grieved　for　their　lost　blossoms。　It　was　two　years　before　I

could　be　made　to　believe　that　my　dogs　did　not　understand　what　I　said；

and　I　always　apologized　to　them　when　I　ran　into　or　stepped　on　them。

As　my　experiences　broadened　and　deepened；　the　indeterminate；　poetic

feelings　of　childhood　began　to　fix　themselves　in　definite　thoughts。

Nature……the　world　I　could　touch……was　folded　and　filled　with　myself。　I　am

inclined　to　believe　those　philosophers　who　declare　that　we　know　nothing

but　our　own　feelings　and　ideas。　With　a　little　ingenious　reasoning　one

may　see　in　the　material　world　simply　a　mirror；　an　image　of　permanent

mental　sensations。　In　either　sphere　self…knowledge　is　the　condition　and

the　limit　of　our　consciousness。　That　is　why；　perhaps；　many　people　know

so　little　about　what　is　beyond　their　short　range　of　experience。　They

look　within　themselves……and　find　nothing！　Therefore　they　conclude　that

there　is　nothing　outside　themselves；　either。

However　that　may　be；　I　came　later　to　look　for　an　image　of　my　emotions

and　sensations　in　others。　I　had　to　learn　the　outward　signs　of　inward

feelings。　The　start　of　fear；　the　suppressed；　controlled　tensity　of　pain；

the　beat　of　happy　muscles　in　others；　had　to　be　perceived　and　pared

with　my　own　experiences　before　I　could　trace　them　back　to　the　intangible

soul　of　another。　Groping；　uncertain；　I　at　last　found　my　identity；　and

after　seeing　my　thoughts　and　feelings　repeated　in　others；　I　gradually

constructed　my　world　of　men　and　of　God。　As　I　read　and　study；　I　find

that　this　is　wh