There is no such creature as a perfectly consistent human being on the face of the earth--and, strange as it may seem to you, the human beings themselves are not aware of it.

The reason for this curious state of things is not far to seek.

How can people who are ignorant--as we see every day--of their own characters be capable of correctly estimating the characters of others?
Even the influence of their religion fails to open their eyes to the truth.

In the Prayer which is the most precious possession of Christendom, their lips repeat the entreaty that they may not be led into temptation--but their minds fail to draw the inference.

If that pathetic petition means anything, it means that virtuous men and women are capable of becoming vicious men and women, if a powerful temptation puts them to the test.