THE PATH OF VISION
V
TOURING AND COMMUTING
THE world of knowledge is honeycombed
nowadays with railroads under
private control. We no longer have, as
in the past, a monopoly of transportation
and communication;—not even a Tourist-Agent
who will assume the responsibility
of a personally conducted tour on all the
lines, except it be the Daily Press. And
then, you are likely to lose your baggage
and find yourself stranded in the wilderness
of belief. You begin to doubt, not
only the vaunted omniscience of your
Guide, but even yourself.
The monks of the Middle Ages, though their system of transportation was not based on dividends or profit-sharing schemes, were good conductors, excellent engineers, faithful and experienced guides. The incidents of the journey were not very agreeable, but accidents were scarce. A traveller risked little or nothing by entrust-
[50]