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of society melt away like a vapor when we would grasp it with the
hand。 Were Byron now alive； and Burns； the first would come from
his ancestral abbey； flinging aside； although unwillingly； the
inherited honors of a thousand years； to take the arm of the
mighty peasant who grew immortal while he stooped behind his
plough。 These are gone； but the hall； the farmer's fireside； the
hut； perhaps the palace； the counting…room； the workshop； the
village； the city； life's high places and low ones； may all
produce their poets； whom a common temperament pervades like an
electric sympathy。 Peer or ploughman； we will muster them pair by
pair and shoulder to shoulder。 Even society； in its most
artificial state； consents to this arrangement。 These factory
girls from Lowell shall mate themselves with the pride of
drawing…rooms and literary circles； the bluebells in fashion's
nosegay； the Sapphos； and Montagues； and Nortons of the age。
Other modes of intellect bring together as strange companies。
Silk…gowned professor of languages； give your arm to this sturdy
blacksmith； and deem yourself honored by the conjunction； though
you behold him grimy from the anvil。 All varieties of human
speech are like his mother tongue to this rare man。
Indiscriminately let those take their places； of whatever rank
they come； who possess the kingly gifts to lead armies or to sway
a peopleNature's generals； her lawgivers； her kings； and with
them also the deep philosophers who think the thought in one
generation that is to revolutionize society in the next。 With the
hereditary legislator in whom eloquence is a far…descended
attainmenta rich echo repeated by powerful voices from Cicero
downwardwe will match some wondrous backwoodsman； who has
caught a wild power of language from the breeze among his native
forest boughs。 But we may safely leave these brethren and
sisterhood to settle their own congenialities。 Our ordinary
distinctions become so trifling； so impalpable； so ridiculously
visionary； in comparison with a classification founded on truth；
that all talk about the matter is immediately a common place。
Yet the longer I reflect the less am I satisfied with the idea of
forming a separate class of mankind on the basis of high
intellectual power。 At best it is but a higher development of
innate gifts common to all。 Perhaps； moreover； he whose genius
appears deepest and truest excels his fellows in nothing save the
knack of expression； he throws out occasionally a lucky hint at
truths of which every human soul is profoundly； though
unutterably； conscious。 Therefore； though we suffer the
brotherhood of intellect to march onward together； it may be
doubted whether their peculiar relation will not begin to vanish
as soon as the procession shall have passed beyond the circle of
this present world。 But we do not classify for eternity。
And next； let the trumpet pour forth a funereal wail； and the
herald's voice give breath in one vast cry to all the groans and
grievous utterances that are audible throughout the earth。 We
appeal now to the sacred bond of sorrow； and summon the great
multitude who labor under similar afflictions to take their
places in the march。
How many a heart that would have been insensible to any other
call has responded to the doleful accents of that voice！ It has
gone far and wide； and high and low； and left scarcely a mortal
roof unvisited。 Indeed； the principle is only too universal for
our purpose； and； unless we limit it； will quite break up our
classification of mankind； and convert the whole procession into
a funeral train。 We will therefore be at some pains to
discriminate。 Here comes a lonely rich man： he has built a noble
fabric for his dwelling…house； with a front of stately
architecture and marble floors and doors of precious woods； the
whole structure is as beautiful as a dream and as substantial as
the native rock。 But the visionary shapes of a long posterity；
for whose home this mansion was intended； have faded into
nothingness since the death of the founder's only son。 The rich
man gives a glance at his sable garb in one of the splendid
mirrors of his drawing…room； and descending a flight of lofty
steps instinctively offers his arm to yonder poverty stricken
widow in the rusty black bonnet； and with a check apron over her
patched gown。 The sailor boy； who was her sole earthly stay； was
washed overboard in a late tempest。 This couple from the palace
and the almshouse are but the types of thousands more who
represent the dark tragedy of life and seldom quarrel for the
upper parts。 Grief is such a leveller； with its own dignity and
its own humility； that the noble and the peasant； the beggar and
the monarch； will waive their pretensions to external rank
without the officiousness of interference on our part。 If
pridethe influence of the world's false distinctionsremain in
the heart； then sorrow lacks the earnestness which makes it holy
and reverend。 It loses its reality and becomes a miserable
shadow。 On this ground we have an opportunity to assign over
multitudes who would willingly claim places here to other parts
of the procession。 If the mourner have anything dearer than his
grief he must seek his true position elsewhere。 There are so many
unsubstantial sorrows which the necessity of our mortal state
begets on idleness； that an observer； casting aside sentiment； is
sometimes led to question whether there be any real woe； except
absolute physical suffering and the loss of closest friends。 A
crowd who exhibit what they deem to be broken heartsand among
them many lovelorn maids and bachelors； and men of disappointed
ambition in arts or politics； and the poor who were once rich； or
who have sought to be rich in vainthe great majority of these
may ask admittance into some other fraternity。 There is no room
here。 Perhaps we may institute a separate class where such
unfortunates will naturally fall into the procession。 Meanwhile
let them stand aside and patiently await their time。
If our trumpeter can borrow a note from the doomsday trumpet
blast； let him sound it now。 The dread alarum should make the
earth quake to its centre； for the herald is about to address
mankind with a summons to which even the purest mortal may be
sensible of some faint responding echo in his breast。 In many
bosoms it will awaken a still small voice more terrible than its
own reverberating uproar。
The hideous appeal has swept around the globe。 Come； all ye
guilty ones； and rank yourselves in accordance with the
brotherhood of crime。 This； indeed； is an awful summons。 I almost
tremble to look at the strange partnerships that begin to be
formed； reluctantly； but by the in vincible necessity of like to
like in this part of the procession。 A forger from the state
prison seizes the arm of a distinguished financier。 How
indignantly does the latter plead his fair reputation upon
'Change； and insist that his operations； by