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"Their aristocratic question! Disease, Health! Spirit, Nature! Are those contradictions? I ask, are they problems? No, they are no problems, neither is the problem of their aristocracy. The recklessness of death is in life, it would not be life without it - and in the centre is the position of the Homo Dei, between recklessness and reason, as his state is between mystic community and windy individualism. I, from my column perceive all this. In this state he must live gallantly, associate in friendly reverence with himself, for only he is aristocratic, and the counter positions not at all. Man is the lord of counter positions, they can only be through him, and thus he is more aristocratic than they. more so than death, too aristocratic for death - that is the freedom of his mind. More aristocratic than life, too aristocratic for life - that is the piety in his heart. There is both rhyme and reason in what I say, I have made a dream poem of humanity. I will cling to it. I will be good. I will let death have no mastery over my thoughts. For therein lies goodness and love of humankind, and in nothing else. Death is a great power. One takes off one's hat before him, and goes weavingly on tiptoe. He wears the stately ruff of of the departed and we do him honour in solemn black. Reason stands simple before him, for reason is only virtue, while death is immensity, abandon, desire. Desire says my dream, Lust, not love. Death and love - no, I cannot make a poem of them, they don't go together. Love stands opposed to death. It is Love, not reason, that is stronger than death. Only love, not reason, gives sweet thoughts. And from love and sweetness alone can form come: form and civilization, friendly, enlightened, beautiful human intercourse - always in silent recognition of the blood-sacrifice. Ah yes, it is well and truly dreamed.I have taken stock. I will remember. I will keep faith with death in my heart, yet well remember that faith with death and the dead is evil, is hostile to humankind, so soon as we give it power over our thoughts. For the sake of goodness and love man shall let death have no sovereignty over his thoughts."

T. Mann