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plagues； famine and battle。 Military execution； the demolition of cities； the conquest of nations； have been acted a hundred times before。 The mighty conqueror； who 〃smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke；〃 who 〃sat in the seat of God； shewing himself that he was God；〃 and assuredly persuaded himself that he was doing something to be had in everlasting remembrance； only did that which a hundred other vulgar conquerors had done in successive ages of the world； whose very names have long since perished from the records of mankind。
Thus it is that the human species is for ever engaged in laborious idleness。 We put our shoulder to the wheel； and raise the vehicle out of the mire in which it was swallowed； and we say； I have done something； but the same feat under the same circumstances has been performed a thousand times before。 We make what strikes us as a profound observation； and； when fairly analysed； it turns out to be about as sagacious； as if we told what's o'clock； or whether it is rain or sunshine。 Nothing can be more delightfully ludicrous； than the important and emphatical air with which the herd of mankind enunciate the most trifling observations。 With much labour we are delivered of what is to us a new thought； and； after a time； we find the same in a musty volume； thrown by in a corner； and covered with cobwebs and dust。
This is pleasantly ridiculed in the well known exclamation； 〃Deuce take the old fellows who gave utterance to our wit； before we ever thought of it！〃
The greater part of the life of the mightiest genius that ever existed is spent in doing nothing； and saying nothing。 Pope has observed of Shakespear's plays； that； 〃had all the speeches been printed without the names of the persons； we might have applied them with certainty to every speaker。〃 To which another critic has rejoined； that that was impossible； since the greater part of what every man says is unstamped with peculiarity。 We have all more in us of what belongs to the common nature of man； than of what is peculiar to the individual。
It is from this beaten； turnpike road； that the favoured few of mankind are for ever exerting themselves to escape。 The multitude grow up； and are carried away； as grass is carried away by the mower。 The parish…register tells when they were born； and when they died： 〃known by the ends of being to have been。〃 We pass away； and leave nothing behind。 Kings； at whose very glance thousands have trembled； for the most part serve for nothing when their breath has ceased； but as a sort of distance…posts in the race of chronology。 〃The dull swain treads on〃 their relics 〃with his clouted shoon。〃 Our monuments are as perishable as ourselves； and it is the most hopeless of all problems for the most part； to tell where the mighty ones of the earth repose。
All men are aware of the frailty of life； and how short is the span assigned us。 Hence every one； who feels； or thinks he feels the power to do so； is desirous to embalm his memory； and to be thought of by a late posterity； to whom his personal presence shall be unknown。 Mighty are the struggles； everlasting the efforts。 The greater part of these we well know are in vain。 It is Aesop's mountain in labour： 〃Dire was the tossing； deep the groans：〃 and the result is a mouse。 But is it always so？
This brings us back to the question： 〃Is there indeed nothing new under the sun？〃
Most certainly there is something that is new。 If； as the beast dies； so died man； then indeed we should be without hope。 But it is his distinguishing faculty； that he can leave something behind； to testify that he has lived。 And this is not only true of the pyramids of Egypt； and certain other works of human industry； that time seems to have no force to destroy。 It is often true of a single sentence； a single word； which the multitudinous sea is incapable of washing away：
Quod non imber edax； non Aquilo impotens Possit diruere； aut innumerabilis Annorum series； et fuga temporum。
It is the characteristic of the mind and the heart of man； that they are progressive。 One word； happily interposed； reaching to the inmost soul； may 〃take away the heart of stone； and introduce a heart of flesh。〃 And； if an individual may be thus changed； then his children； and his connections； to the latest page of unborn history。
This is the true glory of man； that 〃one generation doth not pass away； and another come； velut unda supervenit undam； but that we leave our improvements behind us。 What infinite ages of refinement on refinement； and ingenuity on ingenuity； seem each to have contributed its quota； to make up the accommodations of every day of civilised man； his table； his chair； the bed he lies on； the food he eats； the garments that cover him！ It has often been said； that the four quarters of the world are put under contribution； to provide the most moderate table。 To this what mills； what looms； what machinery of a thousand denominations； what ship…building； what navigation； what fleets are required！ Man seems to have been sent into the world a naked； forked； helpless animal； on purpose to call forth his ingenuity to supply the accommodations that may conduce to his well…being。 The saying； that 〃there is nothing new under the sun；〃 could never have been struck out； but in one of the two extreme states of man； by the naked savage； or by the highly civilised beings among whom the perfection of refinement has produced an artificial feeling of uniformity。
The thing most obviously calculated to impress us with a sense of the power； and the comparative sublimity of man； is； if we could make a voyage of some duration in a balloon； over a considerable tract of the cultivated and the desert parts of the earth。 A brute can scarcely move a stone out of his way； if it has fallen upon the couch where he would repose。 But man cultivates fields； and plants gardens； he constructs parks and canals； he turns the course of rivers； and stretches vast artificial moles into the sea； he levels mountains； and builds a bridge； joining in giddy height one segment of the Alps to another； lastly； he founds castles； and churches； and towers； and distributes mighty cities at his pleasure over the face of the globe。 〃The first earth has passed away； and another earth has come； and all things are made new。〃
It is true； that the basest treacheries； the most atrocious cruelties； butcheries； massacres； violations of all the restraints of decency； and all the ties of nature； fields covered with dead bodies； and flooded with human gore； are all of them vulgar repetitions of what had been acted countless times already。 If Nero or Caligula thought to perpetrate that which should stand unparalleled； they fell into the grossest error。 The conqueror； who should lay waste vast portions of the globe； and destroy mighty cities； so that 〃thorns should come up in the palaces； and nettles in the fortresses thereof； and they should be a habitation of serpents； and a court for owls； and the wild beasts of the desert should meet there；〃 would only do what Tamerlane； and Aurengzebe； and Zingis； and a hundred other conquerors； in every age and quarter of the world； had done before。 The splendour of triumphs； and the magnificence of courts； are so essentially vulgar； that history almost disdains to record them。
And yet there is something that is new； and that by the reader of discernment is immediately felt to be so。
We read of Moses； that he was a child of ordinary birth； and； when he was born； was presently marked； as well as all the male children of his race； for destruction。 He was unexpectedly preserved； and his first act； when he grew up； was to slay an Egyptian； one of the race to whom all his countrymen were slaves； and to fly into exile。 This man； thus friendless and alone； in due time returned； and by the mere energy of his character prevailed upon his whole race to make common cause with him； and to migrate to a region； in which they should become sovereign and independent。 He had no soldiers； but what were made so by the ascendancy of his spirit no counsellors but such as he taught to be wise； no friends but those who were moved by the sentiment they caught from him。 The Jews he commanded were sordid and low of disposition； perpetually murmuring against his rule； and at every unfavourable accident calling to remembrance 〃the land of Egypt； where they had sat by the fleshpots； and were full。〃 Yet over this race he retained a constant mastery； and finally made of them a nation whose customs and habits and ways of thinking no time has availed to destroy。 This was a man then； that possessed the true secret to make other men his creatures； and lead them with an irresistible power wherever he pleased。 This history； taken entire； has probably no parallel in the annals of the world。
The invasion of Greece by the Persians； and its result； seem to constitute an event that stands alone among men。 Xerxes led against this little territory an army of 5；280；000 men。 They drank up rivers； and cut their way through giant…mountains。 They were first stopped at Thermopylae by Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans。 They fought for a country too narrow to contain the a