Democracy—that's the point of inception of it all; that word is the seed. The more you dwell upon it—you know what the Seamless Robe of the Christ means—the more you realise that the Master Jesus was the first Big Democrat.... We have them speak the word softly and thoughtfully here each day—we like to hear the young ones say it. They are apt to know as much about it as you do—for the word doesn't mean exactly what they mean, who have used it most heretofore. It isn't the name of a political party—yet.... It is government of the people by the people, but only to those who see the sons of God in the eyes of passing men. We only ask its magic, not its presence upon these pages.... They're fighting for it gloriously—every hour. The boys here thrill with the boys there. We hold our hands high to them. Some of our boys are there. They are all our boys! Some are waiting the call to go—but there or here, we are pulling together for the real Fatherland, for the adequite fraternity, under the endless and thrilling magic of the word Equality.

... I can say no more splendid word to you than My Equal: I know of no greater adventure than to become one of the Many. It is true that you and I—the best of us, the Immortal within us each, are of one house—that this is but a far outpost of the journey, Egypt if you like, the husks if you like—but that we have arisen and are on our way home to the Father's House.

Canyon, Santa Monica, California.


CONTENTS

PAGE
I[North Americans][17]
II[Quickenings][24]
III[Conquest of Fears][36]
IV[The Stuff of Comrades][45]
V[John's Things][56]
VI[Values of Letter Writing][70]
VII[The New Dancing][79]
VIII[Old Pictures in Red][91]
IX[Steve][101]
X[Hejira][111]
XI[The Spectator][118]
XII[Tom and the Little Girl][129]
XIII[The Abbot][139]
XIV[The Artist Unleashed][155]
XV[Work in Short Stories][164]
XVI[Valley Road Girl][172]
XVII[Beauty][183]
XVIII[Shuk][192]
XIX[Imagination][205]
XX[Boys and Dogs][211]
XXI[The Man Who Found Peace][219]
XXII[A Dithyramb and a Letter][233]
XXIII[The Mating Mystery][241]
XXIV[Chapter of Letters][252]
XXV[Romance][267]
XXVI[The Cosmic Peasant][277]
XXVII[Résumé][315]

THE HIVE