THE REVOLUTION. 491 



For in that land tyranny had struck its roots far down 

 into the soil, and could not be torn up without the 

 whole land being rent in twain. In Spain, despotism 

 might rule in safety over ignorance ; but the French 

 had eaten of the Tree of Knowledge, and they de- 

 manded to eat of the Tree of Life. A bread riot be- 

 came a rebellion ; the rebellion became a revolution. 

 Maddened by resistance, frenzied with fear, they made 

 their revolution a massacre. Yet, in spite of mummeries 

 and murders, and irreligious persecutions ; in spite of 

 follies perpetrated in the name of Reason, and cruelties 

 committed in the name of Humanity, that revolution 

 regenerated France, and planted principles which 

 spread over the continent of Europe, and which are 

 now bearing fruit in Italy and Spain. With the nine- 

 teenth century, a new era of history begins. 



Such then is the plain unvarnished story of the 

 human race. We have traced the stream of his- 

 tory to its source in the dark forest ; we have followed 

 it downwards through the steppes of the shepherds, 

 and the valleys of the great priest peoples ; we have 

 swept swiftly along, past pyramids and pagodas, and the 

 brick-piles of Babylon ; past the temples of Ionia, and 

 the amphitheatres of Rome ; past castles and cathedrals 

 lying opposite to mosques with graceful minaret and 

 swelling dome ; and so, onwards and onwards, till towns 

 rise on both sides of the stream ; towns sternly walled 

 with sentinels before the gates ; so, onwards and on- 

 wards, till the stream widens and is covered with ships 

 large as palaces, and towering with sail ; till the banks 

 are lined with gardens, and villas ; and huge cities, no 

 longer walled, hum with industry, and becloud the air ; 

 and deserts or barren hills are no longer to be seen; 

 and the banks recede and open out like arms, and the 



