had excellent food, lodging, women, and society; and I had fame,

which showed that what I taught was very good.

this faith in the meaning of poetry and in the development of

life was a religion, and I was one of its priests. To be its

priest was very pleasant and profitable. And I lived a

considerable time in this faith without doubting its validity. But

in the second and still more in the third year of this life I began

to doubt the infallibility of this religion and to examine it. My