Мхи старої садиби
The Procession of Life
Fixingourattentiononsuchoutsideshowsofsimilarityordifference,welosesightofthoserealitiesbywhichnature,fortune,fate,orProvidencehasconstitutedforeverymanabrotherhood,whereinitisonegreatofficeofhumanwisdomtoclassifyhim.WhenthemindhasonceaccustomeditselftoaproperarrangementoftheProcessionofLife,oratrueclassificationofsociety,eventhoughmerelyspeculative,thereisthenceforthasatisfactionwhichprettywellsufficesforitselfwithouttheaidofanyactualreformationintheorderofmarch.
Forinstance,assumingtomyselfthepowerofmarshallingtheaforesaidprocession,IdirectatrumpetertosendforthablastloudenoughtobeheardfromhencetoChina;andaherald,withworld-pervadingvoice,tomakeproclamationforacertainclassofmortalstotaketheirplaces.Whatshallbetheirprincipleofunion?Afterall,anexternalone,incomparisonwithmanythatmightbefound,yetfarmorerealthanthosewhichtheworldhasselectedforasimilarpurpose.Letallwhoareafflictedwithlikephysicaldiseasesformthemselvesintoranks.
Ourfirstattemptatclassificationisnotverysuccessful.Itmaygratifytheprideofaristocracytoreflectthatdisease,morethananyothercircumstanceofhumanlife,paysdueobservancetothedistinctionswhichrankandwealth,andpovertyandlowliness,haveestablishedamongmankind.Somemaladiesarerichandprecious,andonlytobeacquiredbytherightofinheritanceorpurchasedwithgold.
