Abstract

It Seems to Heywood Broun

This article presents the author's views on the issue of novelty in human beings. No emotion in man reaches so deep as recognition. Things remembered, even dimly, are friendly lights assuring the voyager that he still steers his true course. And there remains in the mind from old times the fear of the edges of the world where existence drops off sheerly on to the polished backs of turtles. Beyond that slippery surface there lies nothing. It is better to have under your feet the friendly gritty gravel of some well-remembered path. It is not good that anyone should voyage forever after things which are new. Such journeyings must bring him into lonely places. However, man cannot truly flatten life into straight lines. Fretful courage may swing the circle wide, but it is still a circle.