It is when
I stop to think that I become foolish.
Our first thoughts are the thoughts that are given to us; our second
thoughts are the thoughts that we make for ourselves. I prefer to
trust to the former.
The Germans are a big, square-shouldered, deep-chested race. They
do not talk much, but look as though they thought. Like all big
things, they are easy-going and good-tempered.
Anti-tobacconists, teetotallers, and such-like faddists, would fare
badly in Germany. A German has no anti-nature notions as to its
being wicked for him to enjoy his life, and still more criminal for
him to let anybody else enjoy theirs. He likes his huge pipe, and
he likes his mug of beer, and as these become empty he likes to have
them filled again; and he likes to see other people like THEIR pipe
and THEIR mug of beer. If you were to go dancing round a German,
shrieking out entreaties to him to sign a pledge that he would never
drink another drop of beer again as long as he lived, he would ask
you to remember that you were talking to a man, not to a child or an
imbecile, and he would probably impress the request upon you by
boxing your ears for your impertinence. He can conduct himself
sensibly without making an ass of himself.
