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Article THE GENIUS OF LIBERTY. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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The Genius Of Liberty.
^ ransport , as I viewed the rich scenes which my country exhibited ; tor , with that incongruity frequent in dreams , I beheld from this exp ensive plain many noble harbours crowded with shipping . I saAV London filled with inhabitants from all kingdoms of the world . Wealth and Power were seen in the streets ; and Plenty sung her harvest carol , as she piled the rich sheaves in the meadoAvs round about . Order and Equity spoke and were obeyed . Industry was
clothed with neatness , and Honesty Avalking erect through the labyrinth of commerce , bustled forward with smiles towards the calm villa of Independence . ' Oh , celestial Liberty ! ' cried I , ., turning to the Genius , in rapture , ' preserve my country thus for ever . ' ' Would it Avere possible ! ' returned she , ' but the demon of discontent from the crimsoned lains of Gallia hastens hitherand
p , scatters poison from her wings . What shall he opposed to the scorching corrosive ? It seizes on the intellects of those on Avhom it falls . They mistake legal obedience for sltrvish submission , and the decrees of justice for those of despotism . They no longer know me as their lawful Genius , but call upon the meretricious phantom , who has assumed my nameand leave me to expire on these A-
, ery ruins , from Avhose polluted floors I led their more grateful ancestors , to be first amongst the . nations . Was it for this that my heroes have bled , and my sages wasted the midni ght lamp ? W as it for this that heroism opposed his bared bosom to Ctesar , and my darling Alfred compiled his Atdumes of equity ? Shall she , baneful and
frantic , AVIIQ Avould destroy the fair at ' id beautiful creation of two thousand years , shall she be welcomed by Englishmen ? Then farewell , Britain ! I cannot survive your ingratitude . ' ' Do . not afflict yourself thus , ' cried I , involuntarily bursting into , tears . 'Britons cannot be thus ungrateful : till their island is uprooted from its base , they will adore you only . Not the tawdry affectation of your charms , but
your genuine self . ' ' When I am no more , ' cried she , ' refusing to be comforted , theymay vainly deplore my loss . ' Wrapt into future time , I behold the Gallic Visionary with her dire horde of Equality-sweeping the sacred plains which I have deli ghted to . guard and to enrich . Science droops as they approach . The arts are terrified from their seats . Subordination is annihilatedand her
, Jong train of social dependencies can exist no longer . The laws crumble into dust , and rapine and ignorance graduall y envelope this once happy island ! War tramples doAvn all before it . The flame of literature is extinguished 1 A few generations pass away , and Nature is again left to herself . Lo ! the savages are once more seen in the woods . The hunter makes the stone his pillow , and again
sacrifices , perhaps his brother , fo imaginary gods . Unknown to all the polish and decency of life , he slumbe . s aAvay his existence like those , who , many ages past , immolated upon these stupendous altars . " The horrors of this picture were , so lively that I instantly awoke , and invoked Avith energy the protecting presence of our guardian angels . . No , my friends , ' cried I , getting up , and looking from my window into the busy street as 1 ' apostrophized them , ' no , Ave
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Genius Of Liberty.
^ ransport , as I viewed the rich scenes which my country exhibited ; tor , with that incongruity frequent in dreams , I beheld from this exp ensive plain many noble harbours crowded with shipping . I saAV London filled with inhabitants from all kingdoms of the world . Wealth and Power were seen in the streets ; and Plenty sung her harvest carol , as she piled the rich sheaves in the meadoAvs round about . Order and Equity spoke and were obeyed . Industry was
clothed with neatness , and Honesty Avalking erect through the labyrinth of commerce , bustled forward with smiles towards the calm villa of Independence . ' Oh , celestial Liberty ! ' cried I , ., turning to the Genius , in rapture , ' preserve my country thus for ever . ' ' Would it Avere possible ! ' returned she , ' but the demon of discontent from the crimsoned lains of Gallia hastens hitherand
p , scatters poison from her wings . What shall he opposed to the scorching corrosive ? It seizes on the intellects of those on Avhom it falls . They mistake legal obedience for sltrvish submission , and the decrees of justice for those of despotism . They no longer know me as their lawful Genius , but call upon the meretricious phantom , who has assumed my nameand leave me to expire on these A-
, ery ruins , from Avhose polluted floors I led their more grateful ancestors , to be first amongst the . nations . Was it for this that my heroes have bled , and my sages wasted the midni ght lamp ? W as it for this that heroism opposed his bared bosom to Ctesar , and my darling Alfred compiled his Atdumes of equity ? Shall she , baneful and
frantic , AVIIQ Avould destroy the fair at ' id beautiful creation of two thousand years , shall she be welcomed by Englishmen ? Then farewell , Britain ! I cannot survive your ingratitude . ' ' Do . not afflict yourself thus , ' cried I , involuntarily bursting into , tears . 'Britons cannot be thus ungrateful : till their island is uprooted from its base , they will adore you only . Not the tawdry affectation of your charms , but
your genuine self . ' ' When I am no more , ' cried she , ' refusing to be comforted , theymay vainly deplore my loss . ' Wrapt into future time , I behold the Gallic Visionary with her dire horde of Equality-sweeping the sacred plains which I have deli ghted to . guard and to enrich . Science droops as they approach . The arts are terrified from their seats . Subordination is annihilatedand her
, Jong train of social dependencies can exist no longer . The laws crumble into dust , and rapine and ignorance graduall y envelope this once happy island ! War tramples doAvn all before it . The flame of literature is extinguished 1 A few generations pass away , and Nature is again left to herself . Lo ! the savages are once more seen in the woods . The hunter makes the stone his pillow , and again
sacrifices , perhaps his brother , fo imaginary gods . Unknown to all the polish and decency of life , he slumbe . s aAvay his existence like those , who , many ages past , immolated upon these stupendous altars . " The horrors of this picture were , so lively that I instantly awoke , and invoked Avith energy the protecting presence of our guardian angels . . No , my friends , ' cried I , getting up , and looking from my window into the busy street as 1 ' apostrophized them , ' no , Ave