The World as Will and Idea, Vol. II — Arthur Schopenhauer, trans. Haldane & Kemp

with a man as yet unknown to him, he used to get him to speak about his youthful years and actions, in order, if possible, to gather from these the distinctive traits of his character ; because this must still be the same now.

This is the reason why we are indifferent to the follies and want of understanding of our youthful years, and even look back on them with smiling satisfaction, while the bad features of character even of that time, the ill-natured actions and the misdeeds then committed exist even in old age as inextinguishable reproaches, and trouble our consciences. Now, just as the character appears complete, so it remains unaltered to old age.

The advance of age, which gradually consumes the intellectual powers, leaves the moral qualities untouched. The goodness of the heart still makes the old man honoured and loved when his head already shows the weaknesses which are the commencement of second childhood.

Gentleness, patience, honesty, veracity, disinterestedness, philanthropy, &c, remain through the whole life, and are not lost through the weaknesses of old age ; in every clear moment of the wornout old man they come forth undiminished, like the sun from the winter clouds. And, on the other hand, malice, spite, avarice, hard-heartedness, infidelity, egoism, and baseness of every kind also remain undiminished to our latest years.

We would not believe but would laugh at any one who said to us, " In former years I was a malicious rogue, but now I am an honest and noble-minded man. Therefore Sir Walter Scott, in the " Fortunes of Nigel," has shown very beautifully, in the case of the old usurer, how burning avarice, egoism, and injustice are still in their full strength, like a poisonous plant in autumn, when the intellect has already become childish.

The only alterations that take place in our inclinations are those which result directly from the decrease of our physical strength, and with it of our capacities for enjoyment. Thus voluptuousness will make way for intemperance, the love of splendour for avarice, and vanity for ambition;

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just like the man who before he has a beard will wear a false one, and later, when his own beard has become grey, will dye it brown. Thus while all organic forces, muscular power, the senses, the memory, wit, understanding, genius, wear themselves out, and in old age become dull, the will alone remains undecayed and unaltered : the strength and the tendency of willing remains the same. Indeed in many points the will shows itself still more decided in age : thus, in the clinging to life, which, it is well known, increases ; also in the firmness and persistency with regard to what it has once embraced, in obstinacy ; which is explicable from the fact that the susceptibility of the intellect for other impressions, and thereby the movement of the will by motives streaming in upon it, has diminished. Hence the implacable nature of the anger and hate of old persons — u The young man's wrath is like light straw on fire, But like red-hot steel is the old man's ire."

— Old Ballad.

From all these considerations it becomes unmistakable to the more penetrating glance that, while the intellect has to run through a long series of gradual developments, but then, like everything physical, must encounter decay, the will takes no part in this, except so far as it has to contend at first with the imperfection of its tool, the intellect, and, again, at last with its worn-out condition, but itself appears perfect and remains unchanged, not subject to the laws of time and of becoming and passing away in it. Thus in this way it makes itself known as that which is metaphysical, not itself belonging to the phenomenal world.

9. The universally used and generally very well understood expressions heart and head have sprung from a true feeling of the fundamental distinction here in question ; therefore they are also apt and significant, and occur in all languages. Nee cor nee caput habet, says Seneca of the Emperor Claudius (Zudus de morte Claudii Ccesaris, c. 8).

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