Ralph Waldo Emerson - Fortune of the Republic, Lecture delivered at the Old South Church, 1880

Page 44

FORTUNE OF THE REPUBLIC.

36

and is

than the Englishman's, who, we

rig

much imprisoned 'T

is

certain that it

incomplete,

our civilization

is

yet

has not ended, nor given sign

ending, in a hero.

of

see,

in his backbone.

'Tis a wild democ-

racy; the riot of mediocrities and dishonesties

and fudges.

Ours

is

the age of the om-

nibus, of the third person plural, of

Tammany

Hall. Is it that nature has only so force,

and must

dilute

tiplied into millions ?

Then

it

if it is

The

much

vital

to be

mul-

beautiful

is

never

loins,

and Indiana, with must needs be ordi-

It is not a question

whether we shall be

plentiful.

their

spawning

Illinois

nary.

a multitude of people.

No, that has been,

conspicuously decided already

we

shall

;

but whether

be the new nation, the guide and

lawgiver of

all

nations,

as

having clearly

chosen and firmly held the simplest and best rule of political society.


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