Sea,' there is, say our Moslem friends, a very strange
'Sabbath-day' transacting itself there!--Brethren, we know but
imperfectly yet, after ages of Constitutional Government, what Liberty
and Slavery are.

Democracy, the chase of Liberty in that direction, shall go its full
course; unrestrainable by him of Pferdefuss-Quacksalber, or any of
_his_ household. The Toiling Millions of Mankind, in most vital need
and passionate instinctive desire of Guidance, shall cast away
False-Guidance; and hope, for an hour, that No-Guidance will suffice
them: but it can be for an hour only. The smallest item of human
Slavery is the oppression of man by his Mock-Superiors; the
palpablest, but I say at bottom the smallest. Let him shake-off such
oppression, trample it indignantly under his feet; I blame him not, I
pity and commend him. But oppression by your Mock-Superiors well
shaken off, the grand problem yet remains to solve: That of finding
government by your Real-Superiors! Alas, how shall we ever learn the
solution of that, benighted, bewildered, sniffing, sneering,
godforgetting unfortunates as we are? It is a work for centuries; to
be taught us by tribulations, confusions, insurrections, obstructions;
who knows if not by conflagration and despair! It is a lesson
inclusive of all other lessons; the hardest of all lessons to learn.

One thing I do know: Those Apes, chattering on the branches by the
Dead Sea, never got it learned; but chatter there to this day. To them
no Moses need come a second time; a thousand Moseses would be but so
many painted Phantasms, interesting Fellow-Apes of new strange
aspect,--whom they would 'invite to dinner,' be glad to meet with in
lion-soirees. To them the voice of Prophecy, of heavenly monition, is
quite ended. They chatter there, all Heaven shut to them, to the end
of the world. The unfortunates! Oh, what is dying of hunger, with
honest tools in your hand, with a manful purpose in your heart, and
much real labour lying round you done, in comparison? You honestly
quit your tools; quit a most muddy confused coil of sore work, short
rations, of sorrows, dispiritments and contradictions, having now
honestly done with it all;--and await, not entirely in a distracted
manner, what the Supreme Powers, and the Silences and the Eternities
may have to say to you.

A second thing I know: This lesson will have to be learned,--under
penalties! England will either learn it, or England also will cease to
ex