Life is, in fact, a battle. Evil is insolent and strong; beauty enchanting, but rare; goodness very apt to be weak; folly very apt to be defiant; wickedness to carry the day; imbeciles to be in great places, people of sense in small, and mankind generally unhappy. But the world as it stands is no narrow illusion, no phantasm, no evil dream of the night; we wake up to it, forever and ever; and we can neither forget it nor deny it nor dispense with it.
In the context of life, the author suggests that it resembles a continuous battle filled with challenges. Evil appears to be overpowering and brash, while goodness often seems weak in comparison. In this struggle, beauty is depicted as a rare gem amidst a backdrop of folly and wickedness, where often the inept find themselves in positions of power, leaving the wise to occupy lesser roles. This imbalance contributes to a general sense of unhappiness among humanity.
Moreover, the text emphasizes that the world we experience is not an illusion or a mere figment of imagination. It is a stark reality that we encounter daily, one that we cannot escape or ignore. The persistence of this reality compels us to confront the uncomfortable truths of life, suggesting that we are forever bound to grapple with its complexities and contradictions.
