36
PARTISAN REVIEW
what is humiliation? It does not endure forever. And when
it
has
led us underground to our last comfort, look, it has served its purpose
and it is gone. Who knows when new heights may not appear? A
man has only so much in common with
his
experience. The rest he
derives from God knows wher_e.
I believe some men are capable of rising out of their own lives.
They stand on the same ground as their brothers, but they are, some–
how, transcendental, while their brothers are underground. Their
only secret is a tremendous willingness-they do not struggle with
themselves!
Ellen,
all
I mean to say is this: I still believe in human happiness,
and in my own to boot.
If
I cannot make my claim on you, I will
make it on life, demand that existence satisfy the longings it arouses.
It must, it must! For that is happiness: the conviction that something
is necessary.
But how dare I speak of happiness? Mter all, I was once con–
vinced that you were necessary. And what is necessity without fulfil–
ment? Is it possible? I shall say it is. Be gentle to the unfulfilled, be
good to it. We are accustomed, to sing the joys of the happy, the ful–
filled men. Let us also sing the joys of the desolate, the empty men.
Theirs is the necessity without fulfillment, but it is possible that even
to them-who knows?-some joy may come.
I forgive you and release you, Ellen. You are beautiful-go.
But God, if you only knew, if you only knew how willing I am
always-to take the risk of my happiness!
A Happy New Year!
Love,
Joseph
