338. Besides men notoriously malevolent who in trude into reunions, there are those who, by their character, bring trouble with them wherever they are ; so that we cannot be too circumspect with regard to the new elements introduced. The most troublesome, in such cases, are not those ignorant of the matter, nor even those who do not believe; conviction is acquired only by experience, and there are persons who sin cerely desire to be enlightened. Those of whom it is necessary to beware are systematists, skeptics who doubt everything, even the evidence ; the vain, who think they alone have the true light, wish to impose their opinion on every one, and look with disdain on all who do not think like themselves. Do not allow yourselves to be deceived by their pretended desire for enlightenment ; more than one would be sorry to be forced to acknowledge himself deceived ; beware, especially, of those insipid talkers, who always want the last word, and of those who are only pleased when contradicting; both waste the time for others, while not profiting by it themselves : spirits do not like use less words.
