74 DISCOURSE ON THE STUDY 



fore, hopeless of attaining them. It is not now 

 equally harmless and insignificant, whether we are 

 right or wrong ; since we are no longer supinely and 

 helplessly carried down the stream of events, but 

 feel ourselves capable of buffetting at least with its 

 waves, and perhaps of riding triumphantly over 

 them: for why should we despair that the reason 

 which has enabled us to subdue all nature to our 

 purposes, should (if permitted and assisted by the 

 providence of God) achieve a far more difficult con- 

 quest ; and ultimately find some means of enabling 

 the collective wisdom of mankind to bear down 

 those obstacles which individual short-sightedness, 

 selfishness, and passion, oppose to all improvements, 

 and by which the highest hopes are continually 

 blighted, and the fairest prospects marred. 



