Twothousandfivehundredyearsago, thevalueofcivilizationwasasapparentasitisnow; then, asnow,, thepamperingoftheemotions, , whichaddstothefleetingpresentthoseoldandnewworldsofthepastandthefuture,, whichbroughtsuchawealthofpleasures, werefatallyattendedbyaproportionalenlargementofthecapacityforsuffering; andthedivinefacultyofimagination, whileitcreatednewheavensandnewearths, providedthemwiththecorrespondinghellsoffutileregretforthepastandmorbidanxietyforthefuture.[3]Finally, theinevitablepenaltyofover-stimulation, exhaustion,openedthegatesofcivilizationtoitsgreatenemy,ennui; thestaleandflatwearinesswhenmandelightsnot, norwomanneither; whenallthingsarevanityandvexation; andlifeseemsnotworthlivingexcepttoescapetheboreofdying.
, absorbedinaction, , doubt, whosenameisLegionandwhodwellsamongstthetombsofoldfaiths, ,venerabledoomsofancestralwisdom, hallowedbytraditionandprofessingtoholdgoodforalltime,; judgesthembyitsownstandards;finally, gathersthoseofwhichitapprovesintoethicalsystems, inwhichthereasoningisrarelymuchmorethanadecentpretextfortheadoptionofforegoneconclusions.
