Отруєний пояс
Chapter VI. The Great Awakening
Butiftheworldhasgrowngraverwiththisknowledgeitisnot,Ithink,asadderplaceinconsequence.Surelyweareagreedthatthemoresoberandrestrainedpleasuresofthepresentaredeeperaswellaswiserthanthenoisy,foolishhustlewhichpassedsooftenforenjoymentinthedaysofold—dayssorecentandyetalreadysoinconceivable.Thoseemptyliveswhichwerewastedinaimlessvisitingandbeingvisited,intheworryofgreatandunnecessaryhouseholds,inthearrangingandeatingofelaborateandtediousmeals,havenowfoundrestandhealthinthereading,themusic,thegentlefamilycommunionwhichcomesfromasimplerandsanerdivisionoftheirtime.Withgreaterhealthandgreaterpleasuretheyarericherthanbefore,evenaftertheyhavepaidthoseincreasedcontributionstothecommonfundwhichhavesoraisedthestandardoflifeintheseislands.
Thereissomeclashofopinionastotheexacthourofthegreatawakening.Itisgenerallyagreedthat,apartfromthedifferenceofclocks,theremayhavebeenlocalcauseswhichinfluencedtheactionofthepoison.Certainly,ineachseparatedistricttheresurrectionwaspracticallysimultaneous.TherearenumerouswitnessesthatBigBenpointedtotenminutespastsixatthemoment.TheAstronomerRoyalhasfixedtheGreenwichtimeattwelvepastsix.Ontheotherhand,LairdJohnson,averycapableEastAngliaobserver,hasrecordedsix-twentyasthehour.IntheHebridesitwasaslateasseven.
