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England; as I persuade myself; still contains in it many _kings_; possesses; as old Rome did; many men not needing 〃election〃 to command; but eternally elected for it by the Maker Himself。 England's one hope is in these; just now。 They are among the silent; I believe; mostly far away from platforms and public palaverings; not speaking forth the image of their nobleness in transitory words; but imprinting it; each on his own little section of the world; in silent facts; in modest valiant actions; that will endure forevermore。 They must sit silent no longer。 They are summoned to assert themselves; to act forth; and articulately vindicate; in the teeth of howling multitudes; of a world too justly _maddened_ into all manner of delirious clamors; what of wisdom they derive from God。 England; and the Eternal Voices; summon them; poor England never so needed them as now。 Up; be doing everywhere: the hour of crisis has verily come! In all sections of English life; the god…made _king_ is needed; is pressingly demanded in most; in some; cannot longer; without peril as of conflagration; be dispensed with。 He; wheresoever he finds himself; can say; 〃Here too am I wanted; here is the kingdom I have to subjugate; and introduce God's Laws into;God's Laws; instead of Mammon's and M'Croudy's and the Old Anarch's! Here is my work; here or nowhere。〃Are there many such; who will answer to the call; in England? It turns on that; whether England; rapidly crumbling in these very years and months; shall go down to the Abyss as her neighbors have all done; or survive to new grander destinies _without_ solution of continuity! Probably the chief question of the world at present。
The true 〃commander〃 and king; he who knows for himself the divine Appointments of this Universe; the Eternal Laws ordained by God the Maker; in conforming to which lies victory and felicity; in departing from which lies; and forever must lie; sorrow and defeat; for each and all of the Posterity of Adam in every time and every place; he who has sworn fealty to these; and dare alone against the world assert these; and dare not with the whole world at his back deflect from these;he; I know too well; is a rare man。 Difficult to discover; not quite discoverable; I apprehend; by manoeuvring of ballot…boxes; and riddling of the popular clamor according to the most approved methods。 He is not sold at any shop I know of;though sometimes; as at the sign of the Ballot…box; he is advertised for sale。 Difficult indeed to discover: and not very much assisted; or encouraged in late times; to discover _himself_;which; I think; might be a kind of help? Encouraged rather; and commanded in all ways; if he be wise; to _hide_ himself; and give place to the windy Counterfeit of himself; such as the universal suffrages can recognize; such as loves the most sweet voices of the universal suffrages!O Peter; what becomes of such a People; what can become?
Did you never hear; with the mind's ear as well; that fateful Hebrew Prophecy; I think the fatefulest of all; which sounds daily through the streets; 〃Ou' clo! Ou' clo!〃A certain People; once upon a time; clamorously voted by overwhelming majority; 〃Not _he_; Barabbas; not he! _Him_; and what he is; and what be deserves; we know well enough: a reviler of the Chief Priests and sacred Chancery wigs; a seditious Heretic; physical…force Chartist; and enemy of his country and mankind: To the gallows and the cross with him! Barabbas is our man; Barabbas; we are for Barabbas!〃 They got Barabbas:have you well considered what a fund of purblind obduracy; of opaque _flunkyism_ grown truculent and transcendent; what an eye for the phylacteries; and want of eye for the eternal noblenesses; sordid loyalty to the prosperous Semblances; and high…treason against the Supreme Fact; such a vote betokens in these natures? For it was the consummation of a long series of such; they and their fathers had long kept voting so。 A singular People; who could both produce such divine men; and then could so stone and crucify them; a People terrible from the beginning!Well; they got Barabbas; and they got; of course; such guidance as Barabbas and the like of him could give them; and; of course; they stumbled ever downwards and devilwards; in their truculent stiffnecked way; andand; at this hour; after eighteen centuries of sad fortune; they prophetically sing 〃Ou' clo!〃 in all the cities of the world。 Might the world; at this late hour; but take note of them; and understand their song a little!
Yes; there are some things the universal suffrage can decide;and about these it will be exceedingly useful to consult the universal suffrage: but in regard to most things of importance; and in regard to the choice of men especially; there is (astonishing as it may seem) next to no capability on the part of universal suffrage。I request all candid persons; who have never so little originality of mind; and every man has a little; to consider this。 If true; it involves such a change in our now fashionable modes of procedure as fills me with astonishment and alarm。 _If_ popular suffrage is not the way of ascertaining what the Laws of the Universe are; and who it is that will best guide us in the way of these;then woe is to us if we do not take another method。 Delolme on the British Constitution will not save us; deaf will the Parcae be to votes of the House; to leading articles; constitutional philosophies。 The other methodalas; it involves a stopping short; or vital change of direction; in the glorious career which all Europe; with shouts heaven…high; is now galloping along: and that; happen when it may; will; to many of us; be probably a rather surprising business!
One thing I do know; and can again assert with great confidence; supported by the whole Universe; and by some two hundred generations of men; who have left us some record of themselves there; That the few Wise will have; by one method or another; to take command of the innumerable Foolish; that they must be got to take it;and that; in fact; since Wisdom; which means also Valor and heroic Nobleness; is alone strong in this world; and one wise man is stronger than all men unwise; they can be got。 That they must take it; and having taken; must keep it; and do their God's Message in it; and defend the same; at their life's peril; against all men and devils。 This I do clearly believe to be the backbone of all Future Society; as it has been of all Past; and that without it; there is no Society possible in the world。 And what a business _this_ will be; before it end in some degree of victory again; and whether the time for shouts of triumph and tremendous cheers upon it is yet come; or not yet by a great way; I perceive too well! A business to make us all very serious indeed。 A business not to be accomplished but by noble manhood; and devout all…daring; all…enduring loyalty to Heaven; such as fatally _sleeps_ at present;such as is not _dead_ at present either; unless the gods have doomed this world of theirs to die! A business which long centuries of faithful travail and heroic agony; on the part of all the noble that are born to us; will not end; and which to us; of this 〃tremendous cheering〃 ce