Time and Consequence ii3 



conduct of a thousand years ago, shows that a thousand 

 generations bear upon his present responsibihty. And look- 

 ing forward there are in his present Hfe sacrifices to con- 

 ceptions of future demands which may be dawning ideals, 

 or may be only personal prejudices; but which are equally 

 gifts to the future; and to balance them more or less, there 

 are possibly drafts anticipating the future, by which his 

 conduct may reap too hasty profit to-day, such as that in 

 which men of a civilization too rapid and trustful, may in 

 temporary success, forget the assaults of barbarism, until 

 their sons are found defenseless. In all these things there is 

 an extension again and again backward, and again forward, 

 so that in the deepest, greatest matters, the time involved 

 is extended indefinitely, just as in previous discussion the 

 number of individuals concerned was found to be extended 

 indefinitely; and all work rests upon a basis lost from view 

 in the depths of the unknown past and aims at a goal invisi- 

 ble in the remotest future. 



Beside the lapse of time evidently necessitated to work 

 out conpensation for great matters, there is a less evident 

 long deferred compensation for trivial things of which the 

 influence is so slight that only cumulative eflFect is percep- 

 tible. Yet it is clear that however small the consequences, 

 they are not lost. 



There are therefore many acts of which the due conse- 

 quences or compensation cannot be expected until after 

 many ages ; and many acts are to be considered as persisting 

 results consequent upon the conduct of preceding ages. So 

 that there is always a proportion of conduct and activity 

 of which there is no visible need or which may be without 



