With genius he combined common sense, a rare com-
bination which he traced to his merchant father. It is
this very quality that makes Schopenhauer, quite apart
from his pessimism, so pre-eminently the philosopher
for every-day necessities. He had lived in the world,
he was no closet theoriser, he knew the world's require-
ments, needs, demands, his aphorisms and axioms are
not too high flown for practice. They are besides,
couched in plain, intelligible language, and often ex-
press the dim perceptions of every thinking mind.
Though man a thinking being is defined,
Few use the great prerogative of mind ;
How few think justly of the thinking few ;
How many never think, who think they do.
Their number, alas, is legion I and for these neither
philosopher, poet, sage, or artist, is needed ; they have
a sufficient guide through life in their animal instincts.
HIS DISSATISFIED YEAKS. 135



CHAPTER VII.
HIS DISSATISFIED TEAKS.
Though the actual loss of fortune sustained by Scho-
penhauer was insignificant, the event had given his
assurance of secured subsistence a shock, which, com-
bined with his innate dread of possible evil, powerfully
afifected his mind. To save himself from any more dire
catastrophe he decided to seek some career. It was
natural ha should tiu:n to teaching, in which his love
for theorising would find full vent. Still he had no
notion of making philosophy a means of obtaining a
livelihood.
