[...]Ratherthanlove,thanmoney,thanfame,givemetruth.Isatatatablewherewererichfoodandwineinabundance,andobsequiousattendance,butsincerityandtruthwerenot;andIwentawayhungryfromtheinhospitableboard.Thehospitalitywasascoldastheices.IthoughtthattherewasnoneedoficetofreezetheTheytalkedtomeoftheageofthewineandthefameofthevintage;butIthoughtofanolder,anewer,andpurerwine,ofamoregloriousvintage,whichtheyhadnotgot,andcouldnotbuy.Thestyle,thehouseandgroundsand'entertainment'passfornothingwithme.Icalledontheking,buthemademewaitinhishall,andconductedlikeamanincapacitatedforhospitality.Therewasamaninmyneighborhoodwholivedinahollowtree.Hismannersweretrulyregal.IshouldhavedonebetterhadIcalledonhi
Howlongshallwesitinourporticoespractisingidleandmustyvirtues,whichanyworkwouldmakeimpertinent?Asifoneweretobeginthedaywithlong-suffering,andhireamantohoehispotatoes;andintheafternoongoforthtopractiseChristianmeeknessandcharitywithgoodnessaforethought!ConsidertheChinaprideandstagnantself-complacencyofmankind.Thisgenerationreclinesalittletocongratulateitselfonbeingthelastofanillustriousline;andinBostonandLondonandParisandRome,thinkingofitslongdescent,itspeaksofitsprogressinartandscienceandliteraturewithsatisfaction.TherearetheRecordsofthePhilosophicalSocieties,andthepublicEulogiesofGreatMen!ItisthegoodAdamcontemplatinghisownvirtue.'Yes,wehavedonegreatdeeds,andsungdivinesongs,whichshallneverdie'—thatis,aslongaswecanremembertheThelearnedsocietiesandgreatmenofAssyria—wherearethey?Whatyouthfulphilosophersandexperimentalistsweare!Thereisnotoneofmyreaderswhohasyetlivedawholehumanlife.Thesemaybebutthespringmonthsinthelifeoftherace.Ifwehavehadtheseven-years'itch,wehavenotseentheseventeen-yearlocustyetinConcord.Weareacquaintedwithamerepellicleoftheglobeonwhichwelive.Mosthavenotdelvedsixfeetbeneaththesurface,norleapedasmanyaboveit.Weknownotwhereweare.Beside,wearesoundasleepnearlyhalfourtime.Yetweesteemourselveswise,andhaveanestablishedorderonthesurface.Truly,wearedeepthinkers,weareambitiousspirits!AsIstandovertheinsectcrawlingamidthepineneedlesontheforestfloor,andendeavoringtoconcealitselffrommysight,andaskmyselfwhyitwillcherishthosehumblethoughts,andhideitsheadfrommewhomight,perhaps,beitsbenefactor,andimparttoitsracesomecheeringinformation,IamremindedofthegreaterBenefactorandIntelligencethatstandsovermethehumaninsect.
Thereisanincessantinfluxofnoveltyintotheworld,andyetwetolerateincredibledulness.Ineedonlysuggestwhatkindofsermonsarestilllistenedtointhemostenlightenedcountries.Therearesuchwordsasjoyandsorrow,buttheyareonlytheburdenofapsalm,sungwithanasaltwang,whilewebelieveintheordinaryandmean.Wethinkthatwecanchangeourclothesonly.ItissaidthattheBritishEmpireisverylargeandrespectable,andthattheUnitedStatesareafirst-ratepower.WedonotbelievethatatiderisesandfallsbehindeverymanwhichcanfloattheBritishEmpirelikeachip,ifheshouldeverharboritinhismind.Whoknowswhatsortofseventeen-yearlocustwillnextcomeoutoftheground?ThegovernmentoftheworldIliveinwasnotframed,likethatofBritain,inafter-dinnerconversationsoverthewine.
Thelifeinusislikethewaterintheriver.Itmayrisethisyearhigherthanmanhaseverknownit,andfloodtheparcheduplands;eventhismaybetheeventfulyear,whichwilldrownoutallourmuskrats.Itwasnotalwaysdrylandwherewedwell.Iseefarinlandthebankswhichthestreamancientlywashed,beforesciencebegantorecorditsfreshets.EveryonehasheardthestorywhichhasgonetheroundsofNewEngland,ofastrongandbeautifulbugwhichcameoutofthedryleafofanoldtableofapple-treewood,whichhadstoodinafarmer'skitchenforsixtyyears,firstinConnecticut,andafterwardinMassachusetts,—fromaneggdepositedinthelivingtreemanyyearsearlierstill,asappearedbycountingtheannuallayersbeyondit;whichwasheardgnawingoutforseveralweeks,hatchedperchancebytheheatofanurn.Whodoesnotfeelhisfaithinaresurrectionandimmortalitystrengthenedbyhearingofthis?Whoknowswhatbeautifulandwingedlife,whoseegghasbeenburiedforagesundermanyconcentriclayersofwoodennessinthedeaddrylifeofsociety,depositedatfirstinthealburnumofthegreenandlivingtree,whichhasbeengraduallyconvertedintothesemblanceofitswell-seasonedtomb,—heardperchancegnawingoutnowforyearsbytheastonishedfamilyofman,astheysatroundthefestiveboard,—mayunexpectedlycomeforthfromamidstsociety'smosttrivialandhandselledfurniture,toenjoyitsperfectsummerlifeatlast!
IdonotsaythatJohnorJonathan★willrealizeallthis;butsuchisthecharacterofthatmorrowwhichmerelapseoftimecannevermaketodawn.Thelightwhichputsoutoureyesisdarknesstous.Onlythatdaydawnstowhichweareawake.Thereismoredaytodawn.Thesunisbutamorningstar.
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