THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

48 The Harmony of Virtueand dangerous. But now that we have all mounted to the samerung, let us pursue the ascent. And I suppose our immediate stepwill be to find whether the mere evolution of the inborn qualitiesand powers is or is not the sole requisite for virtue.Wilson: Before we go to that, Keshav, you will have to meeta difficulty which you show every sign of evading.Keshav: Whatever difficulty there is, I am ready to solve,but I cannot guess to what you refer.Wilson: I suppose you will admit that a definition, to beadequate, must have nothing vague or indefinite about it?Keshav: If there is anything vague, it must be elucidated orour statement falls to the ground.Treneth: I dissent: a definite definition is a contradiction interms. I am for definite indefinitions.Keshav: I am not in extremities yet, Prince Paradox.Wilson: Well now, is not your phrasing “the inborn qualitiesand powers native to our humanity” very vague and indefinite?Keshav: Indefinite, I admit, and I cannot think that an objectionbut I plead not guilty to the charge of vagueness.Wilson: You think with Treneth that a definition should notbe definite.Keshav: If by being definite is implied reduction to its primalelements you will agree with me that a definition need notbe definite: or do you want me to enumerate the qualities nativeto our humanity such as physical vigour, and the faculty of inferenceand sexual passion and I do not know how many more?Wilson: You shall not escape me so easily, Keshav. You aremerely spinning dialectical cobwebs which give a specious appearanceto the pit in which you would have us fall.Keshav: Then by pointing out the trap, you can easily sweepaway my sophistical cobwebs, my good Broome.Treneth: What penalty for a pun?Keshav: No penalty, for to punish a lie on the informationof Beelzebub is to do God's work at the devil's bidding.Wilson: Yes, a penalty: you shall be taken at your word. Youare setting a trap for us, when you try to shuffle in your phraseabout the qualities native to our humanity. If we leave this inexplicitand unlimited, you will be at liberty to describe any