Мхи старой усадьбы
The Procession of Life
Somuchachieved,yethowabortiveishislife!Whomshallwechooseforhiscompanion?Someweakframedblacksmith,perhaps,whosedelicacyofmusclemighthavesuitedatailor’sshopboardbetterthantheanvil.
Shallwebidthetrumpetsoundagain?Itishardlyworththewhile.Thereremainafewidlemenoffortune,tavernandgrog-shoploungers,lazzaroni,oldbachelors,decayingmaidens,andpeopleofcrookedintellectortemper,allofwhommayfindtheirlike,orsometolerableapproachtoit,intheplentifuldiversityofourlatterclass.Theretoo,ashisultimatedestiny,mustwerankthedreamer,who,allhislifelong,hascherishedtheideathathewaspeculiarlyaptforsomething,butnevercoulddeterminewhatitwas;andtherethemostunfortunateofmen,whosepurposeithasbeentoenjoylife’spleasures,buttoavoidamanfulstrugglewithitstoilandsorrow.Theremainder,ifany,mayconnectthemselveswithwhateverrankoftheprocessiontheyshallfindbestadaptedtotheirtastesandconsciences.Theworstpossiblefatewouldbetoremainbehind,shiveringinthesolitudeoftime,whilealltheworldisonthemovetowardseternity.Ourattempttoclassifysocietyisnowcomplete.Theresultmaybeanythingbutperfect;yetbetter—togiveittheverylowestpraise—thantheantiqueruleoftheherald’soffice,orthemodernoneofthetax-gatherer,wherebytheaccidentsandsuperficialattributeswithwhichtherealnatureofindividualshasleasttodo,areacteduponasthedeepestcharacteristicsofmankind.
