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having the undivided energies of the pablic mind brought to 

 act upon tlicm in all their undiminished intensity, than if the 

 whole of that portion of public thought and energy, which 

 leaving for a season self and selfish objects aside, labours for 

 the promotion of public good, were diluted and weakened by 

 public diffusion, by embracing so many things at once. In- 

 deed, if we examine closely, we shall find the same law of 

 succession hold in things over which man can exercise no 

 control. Look at the unexplained phenomena of the profuse, 

 nay prodigal, display of talent and genius for which in some 

 particular department of mind one age of the world shall be 

 celebrated, and the total barrenness of that particular species 

 of talent in subsequent and preceding ages. Hence we have 

 the age of great [)oets — the Augustan age — the age of the 

 Greek painters, and architects, and sculptors, the age of these 

 great rivals in Mediaeval Italy — the age of great generals and 

 statesmen, as in the first Trench revolution ; and the age of 

 great musical composers and performers, such as our own. 

 Nor let it be said that such phenomena are explained by the 

 prevailing and common theory, that circumstances always 

 bring forth the man; that the same, or nearly the same 

 amount of rare genius is always being produced ; that it only 

 requires the force and bearing of external circumstances, tend- 

 ing, in certain directions, to bring it forth and elaborate it, to 

 work it up, if I may use the expression, and so render it 

 available for the service, or perhaps the injury, of mankind. 

 On this theory there is always being produced in every country 

 town some village Hampden, some mute inglorious Milton, 

 or some guiltless Cromwell. Now this view of the uniform 

 production of human genius I do not believe to be the true 

 one. Have, for example, the late convulsions all over the 

 continent of Europe thrown up to the surface a single great 

 general, orator, or statesman ? If patronage were the source 

 of excellency in painting or sculpture, what age of the world 

 lias there been that would rival our own ? It is, I believe, a 



