whether England, rapidly crumbling in these very years and
months, shall go down to the Abyss as her neighbors have all
done, or survive to new grander destinies _without_ solution of
continuity! Probably the chief question of the world at
present.

The true "commander" and king; he who knows for himself the
divine Appointments of this Universe, the Eternal Laws ordained
by God the Maker, in conforming to which lies victory and
felicity, in departing from which lies, and forever must lie,
sorrow and defeat, for each and all of the Posterity of Adam in
every time and every place; he who has sworn fealty to these, and
dare alone against the world assert these, and dare not with the
whole world at his back deflect from these;--he, I know too well,
is a rare man. Difficult to discover; not quite discoverable, I
apprehend, by manoeuvring of ballot-boxes, and riddling of the
popular clamor according to the most approved methods. He is not
sold at any shop I know of,--though sometimes, as at the sign of
the Ballot-box, he is advertised for sale. Difficult indeed to
discover: and not very much assisted, or encouraged in late
times, to discover _himself_;--which, I think, might be a kind of
help? Encouraged rather, and commanded in all ways, if he be
wise, to _hide_ himself, and give place to the windy Counterfeit
of himself; such as the universal suffrages can recognize, such
as loves the most sweet voices of the universal suffrages!--O
Peter, what becomes of such a People; what can become?

Did you never hear, with the mind's ear as well, that fateful
Hebrew Prophecy, I think the fatefulest of all, which sounds
daily through the streets, "Ou' clo! Ou' clo!"--A certain