Мхи старой усадьбы

           Inthisclass,likewise,wemustassignplacestothosewhohaveencounteredthatworstofillsuccess,ahigherfortunethantheirabilitiescouldvindicate;writers,actors,painters,thepetsofaday,butwhoselaurelswitherunrenewedamidtheirhoaryhair;politicians,whomsomemaliciouscontingencyofaffairshasthrustintoconspicuousstation,where,whiletheworldstandsgazingatthem,thedrearyconsciousnessofimbecilitymakesthemcursetheirbirthhour.Tosuchmen,wegiveforacompanionhimwhoseraretalents,whichperhapsrequireaRevolutionfortheirexercise,areburiedinthetombofsluggishcircumstances.

           Notfarfromthese,wemustfindroomforonewhosesuccesshasbeenofthewrongkind;themanwhoshouldhavelingeredinthecloistersofauniversity,diggingnewtreasuresoutoftheHerculaneumofantiquelore,diffusingdepthandaccuracyofliteraturethroughouthiscountry,andthusmakingforhimselfagreatandquietfame.Buttheoutwardtendenciesaroundhimhaveprovedtoopowerfulforhisinwardnature,andhavedrawnhimintothearenaofpoliticaltumult,theretocontendatdisadvantage,whetherfronttofront,orsidebyside,withthebrawnygiantsofactuallife.Hebecomes,itmaybe,anameforbrawlingpartiestobandytoandfro,alegislatoroftheUnion;agovernorofhisnativestate;anambassadortothecourtsofkingsorqueens;andtheworldmaydeemhimamanofhappystars.Butnotsothewise;andnotsohimself,whenhelooksthroughhisexperience,andsighstomissthatfitness,theoneinvaluabletouchwhichmakesallthingstrueandreal.