Towards democracy

22 Towards Democracy

in Life? Do you found a huge system of national Credit on absolute personal Distrust? Do you batten like a ghoul on the dead corpses of animals, and then expect to be of a cheerful disposition? Do you put the loying beasts to torture as a means of promoting your own health and happiness? Do you, O foolishest one, fancy to bind men together by Laws (of all ideas the most laughable), and set whole tribes of unbelievers at work year after year patching that rotten net? Do you live continually farther and farther from Nature, till you actually doubt if there be any natural life, or any avenging instinct in the dumb elements ?— And then do you wonder that your own Life is slowly ebbing —that you have lost all gladness and faith ?

I do not a bit. I am disgusted with you, and will not cease till I have absolutely floored you. I do not care ; you may struggle ; but I am the stronger.

Ah, England! Have I not seen, do I not see now, plain as day, through thy midst the genius of thy true life wandering—he who can indeed, who can alone, save thee—

Seeking thy soul, thy real life, out of so much rubbish to disentangle ?

Plaintive the Divine Child haply a moment by .some cottage door, or by the side of some mechanic at his bench, lingering, passes on ;

Through the great magnificent land, through its parks and country palaces and bewildering splendors of the resorts of wealth and learning, shy and plaintive, passes :

Is there no hand held out?