dingofabook.Thebookexistsforusperchancewhichwillexplainourmiraclesandrevealnewones.Theatpresentunutterablethingswemayfindsomewhereuttered.Thesesamequestionsthatdisturbandpuzzleandconfoundushaveintheirturnoccurredtoallthewisemennotonehasbeenomittedandeachhasansweredthem,accordingtohisability,byhiswordsandhislife.Moreover,withwisdomweshalllearnliberality.ThesolitaryhiredmanonafarmintheoutskirtsofConcord,whohashadhissecondbirthandpeculiarreligiousexperience,andisdrivenashebelievesintothesilentgravityandexclusivenessbyhisfaith,maythinkitisnottruebutZoroaster,thousandsofyearsago,travelledthesameroadandhadthesameexperiencebuthe,beingwise,knewittobeuniversal,andtreatedhisneighborsaccordingly,andisevensaidtohaveinventedandestablishedworshipamongmen.LethimhumblycommunewithZoroasterthen,andthroughtheliberalizinginfluenceofalltheworthies,withJesusChristhimself,andlet“ourchurch”gobytheboard.
Weboastthatwebelongtothenineteenthcenturyandaremakingthemostrapidstridesofanynation.Butconsiderhowlittlethisvillagedoesforitsownculture.Idonotwishtoflattermytownsmen,nortobeflatteredbythem,forthatwillnotadvanceeitherofus.Weneedtobeprovoked,—goadedlikeoxen,asweare,intoatrot.Wehaveacomparativelydecentsystemofcommonschools,schoolsforinfantsonlybutexceptingthehalf-starvedLyceuminthewinter,andlatterlythepunybeginningofalibrarysuggestedbythestate,noschoolforourselves.Wespendmoreonalmostanyarticleofbodilyalimentorailmentthanonourmentalaliment.Itistimethatwehaduncommonschools,thatwedidnotleaveoffoureducationwhenwebegintobemenandwomen.Itistimethatvillageswereuniversities,andtheirelderinhabitantsthefellowsofuniversities,withleisure—iftheyareindeedsowelloff—topursueliberalstudiestherestoftheirlives.ShalltheworldbeconfinedtooneParisoroneOxfordforever?CannotstudentsbeboardedhereandgetaliberaleducationundertheskiesofConcord?CanwenothiresomeAbelardtolecturetous?Alas!whatwithfodderingthecattleandtendingthestore,wearekeptfromscho