196 The Two Americas 



of the past, and the lack of which always has brought, 

 and always will bring, the proudest of nations crash 

 ing down to ruin. Here in this Exposition, on the 

 Stadium and on the pylons of the bridge, you have 

 written certain sentences to which we all must sub 

 scribe, and to which we must live up if we are in any 

 way or measure to do our duty: "Who shuns the 

 dust and sweat of the contest, on his brow falls not 

 the cool shade of the olive," and "A free State exists 

 only in the virtue of the citizen." We all accept 

 these statements in theory ; but if we do not live up 

 to them in practice, then there is no health in us. 

 Take the two together always. In our eager, restless 

 life of effort but little can be done by that cloistered, 

 virtue of which Milton spoke with such fine con 

 tempt. We need the rough, strong qualities that 

 make a man fit to play his part well among men. Yet 

 we need to remember even more that no ability, no 

 strength and force, no power of intellect or power 

 of wealth, shall avail us, if we have not the root of 

 right living in us, if we do not pay more than a mere 

 lip-loyalty to the old, old commonplace virtues, 

 which stand at the foundation of all social and po 

 litical well-being. 



It is easy to say what we ought to do, but it is 

 hard to do it; and yet no scheme can be devised 

 which will save us from the need of doing just this 

 hard work. Not merely must each of us strive to do 



