Мертві душі

           ThenWHATishe?Avillain?Whyshouldwecallhimavillain?Whyshouldwebesoharduponafellowman?Inthesedaysourvillainshaveceasedtoexist.RatheritwouldbefairertocallhimanACQUIRER.Theloveofacquisition,theloveofgain,isafaultcommontomany,andgivesrisetomanyandmanyatransactionofthekindgenerallyknownas“notstrictlyhonourable.”True,suchacharactercontainsanelementofugliness,andthesamereaderwho,onhisjourneythroughlife,wouldsitattheboardofacharacterofthiskind,andspendamostagreeabletimewithhim,wouldbethefirsttolookathimaskanceifheshouldappearintheguiseoftheheroofanoveloraplay.Butwiseisthereaderwho,onmeetingsuchacharacter,scanshimcarefully,and,insteadofshrinkingfromhimwithdistaste,probeshimtothespringsofhisbeing.Thehumanpersonalitycontainsnothingwhichmaynot,inthetwinklingofaneye,becomealtogetherchanged—nothinginwhich,beforeyoucanlookround,theremaynotspringtobirthsomecankerouswormwhichisdestinedtosuckthencetheessentialjuice.Yes,itisacommonthingtoseenotonlyanovermasteringpassion,butalsoapassionofthemostpettyorder,ariseinamanwhowasborntobetterthings,andleadhimbothtoforgethisgreatestandmostsacredobligations,andtoseeonlyintheveriesttriflestheGreatandtheHoly.Forhumanpassionsareasnumberlessasisthesandoftheseashore,andgoontobecomehismostinsistentofmasters.