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guesser and a persevering man. But, without educated thought, he erred
continually by the very intensity of his investigations. He impaired his
vision by holding the object too close. He might see, perhaps, one or
two points with unusual clearness, but in so doing he, necessarily, lost
sight of the matter as a whole. Thus there is such a thing as being too
profound. Truth is not always in a well. In fact, as regards the more
important knowledge, I do believe that she is invariably superficial.
The depth lies in the valleys where we seek her, and not upon the
mountain-tops where she is found. The modes and sources of this kind of
error are well typified in the contemplation of the heavenly bodies.
To look at a star by glances--to view it in a side-long way, by turning
toward it the exterior portions of the retina (more susceptible of
feeble impressions of light than the interior), is to behold the star
distinctly--is to have the best appreciation of its lustre--a lustre
which grows dim just in proportion as we turn our vision fully upon
it. A greater number of rays actually fall upon the eye in the latter
case, but, in the former, there is the more refined capacity for
comprehension. By undue profundity we perplex and enfeeble thought; and
it is possible to make even Venus herself vanish from the firmanent by a
scrutiny too sustained, too concentrated, or too direct.
"As for these murders, let us enter into some examinations for
ourselves, before we make up an opinion respecting them. An inquiry will
afford us amusement," [I thought this an odd term, so applied, but said
nothing] "and, besides, Le Bon once rendered me a service for which I
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