To influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. He becomes an echo of someone else's music. The aim of life is self-development; to realise one's nature perfectly. People are afraid of themselves, nowadays. Of course they are charitable. They feed the hungry, and clothe the beggar. But their own souls starve, and are naked. Courage has gone out of our race.