MS-WU-MSS008-2-47

[1636] thought he had done as any man of good will would have done in his
place and with very much the same results, in spite of his lack
of experience. [1637] And yet when it came to doing some little thing
for himself, as for example when he had to repair or replace one
of his buttons or pegs, which were not long-lived being mostly
of green woord ^wood and exposed to all the rigours of the temperate
zone, then he really exhibited a certain dexterity, without the
help of any other apparatus than his bare hands.

[1638] And indeed he had
devoted to these little tasks a great part of his existence, that
is is to say of the half or quarter of his existence associated
with more or less coordinated movements of the body.

[1639] For he had,
had to, he had to, if he wished to go on coming and going on the
earth, which to tell the truth he did not, particularly, but he
had to, for obscure reasons known who knows to God alone, though
to tell the truth God does not seem to need reasons for doing what
he does, and ^for omitting to do what he omits to do, to the same degree
as his creatures, [1640] does he?

[1641] Such then seemed to be Macmann, seen f
from a certain angle, incapabe^lle of weeding a bed of pansies or
marigolds and leaving one standing and at the same time well able
to consolidate his boots with willow bark and thongs of wicker,
so that he might come and go on the earthf ^{and go on the} earth from time to
time and not wound himself too sorely on the stones, thorns and
broken glass provided by the carelessness or wickedness of man,
with hardly a complaint, for he had to.

[1642] For he was incapable of
picking his steps and choosing where to put f^[⁁]d[^d]own his feet (which
would have permitted him to go barefoot). [1643] And even had be^he he