[Footnote: See "Ralph Waldo Emerson," by O. W. Holmes (Boston, 1884);
"Emerson at Home and Abroad," by H. D. Conway; and F. B. Sanborn's
"Homes and Haunts of Emerson.">[
XVIII.
SELF-DENIAL.
MEMORY GEMS.
Self-denial is the essence of heroism.—Emerson
True self-denial involves personal sacrifice for the good of others.
—Dr. Momerie
To give up interest for duty is the alphabet of morals.—James Hinton
A man of self-denial has the true ring which distinguishes the genuine
from the counterfeit.—Prof. Seeley
The worst education which teaches self-denial is better than the best
which teaches everything else, and not that.—John Sterling
It is a mistake to imagine that self-sacrifice and self-denial are precisely the same. Many persons seem to think that because self-sacrifice is a noble thing, everything in which self is given up must be noble. Self may sometimes be sacrificed when it ought to be maintained; and sometimes we sacrifice our interest to save ourselves a little trouble, or to get rid of some petty annoyance. We say, "Well, I have a right to do this, but, let it go;" and then we fancy that we have performed a noble deed, whereas, we have really been serving our own selfishness and love of ease.