$66 OLYMPIC DIALOGUE. 



The unknown^] Thy pleafantry is rather imfeafonable. 

 The work that I have undertaken is not lefs poffible 

 than for the feed of a cedar to grow up to a great tree 2 

 only that the cedar indeed does not come to perfection 

 lb quickly as a poplar. 



Jupiter.'] Accordingly thou mighteft have as much 

 time as thou wouldft for the performance of thy talk, 

 if that were all. But the certain and enormous evil 

 by which mankind for fo many ages long muft pur- 

 chafe the hope of an uncertain good, puts another face 

 upon the matter. What is one to think of a plan, 

 deflgned as a benefit to the human race, and in the 

 execution mould fo ill fucceed, that a very great part 

 of them, during a period of which the end cannot be 

 feen, would be rendered incomparably more wretched, 

 and (what is frill worfe) more depraved in mind and 

 heart, than ever ? I appeal to facts ; — and yet all that 

 we have feen fince the murder of that honefi enthufiafx 

 Julian is but a flight prelude to the immenfe feries of 

 mifchiefs which the new hierarchy will bring upon the 

 poor race of mortals, who are eafily lured, by every new 

 tune that is piped to them, into the unfufpecled gulf. 



The unknown.] All thefe calamities which thou la- 

 mented: in behalf pf mankind, — thou, who in general 

 art but little moved by their mifery ! — are neither con- 

 ditions nor eonfequences of the great plan of which we 

 are fpeaking : the objiacles to be feared are from with- 

 out, and againft which the light will have to frruggle 

 till it has completely got the better of the darknefs. 

 Is it the fault of the wine, if it be fpoilt in a mufty 

 calk ? As it is now the nature of the cafe, that man- 

 kind 



