"Who would dare reveal the delicate, glowing colors of their soul to a scornful eye that offers no warmth of love—

where nothing beautiful can ever truly shine?

Who would lay their weary head upon a bosom

as cold and hard as marble?

Who would confess their highest, most spiritual dreams to someone who stands forever ready with a cheap, degrading explanation for every noble thing?

To a person who sees the devout as nothing but hypocritical traders,

the patriot as a mere schemer after power,

and the martyr as an ambitious seeker of applause?

All that is beautiful instinctively shrinks from one who delights in instantly soiling everything pure with dust.

How wretched are those who have lost the ability to admire!

They have said farewell to the deep comfort of reverence.

They can pick up the sacred pages left by departed genius without any awe.

They can read of humanity’s struggles for liberty with no spark of enthusiasm,

and watch the good walk their path of mercy

without their hearts swelling in mighty joy.

No sorrow deserves greater pity than the hopeless emptiness of a scornful heart."

This passage uses rhetorical questions and vivid imagery to evoke emotional repulsion toward the cynical personality.

It is a defense of idealism, reverence, and emotional openness against reductive skepticism.

To bring out the deep emotional needs, questions and struggles in others, one cannot be a cynic.

One cannot be emotionally barren and expect others will open up to you, in ministry, with those we love as well as our children.