ABSTRACT
Man is at once the most intelligent and the most foolish thing in all creation. He has more knowledge, yet behaves more unwisely; is more self-conscious, yet knows himself less; loves himself more, yet is more cruel to himself; has more to be proud of, yet humiliates himself more than any other creature. Man, the most intelligent of animals, is more prone to foolishness and presumption than any other animal. If he could but realize the measure of his capacity for health, happiness, and goodness, and compare with it his actual experience, he would be able to assess the extent of his folly. One interpretation of Christ's saying that the meek shall inherit the earth may be that progress is achieved by those alone who are humble enough to modify their opinions in accordance with facts, and thereby acquire pride in success instead of vanity in failure.
