on of posthumous fame, they cannot comprehend how
panegyric and honour can "soothe the dull, cold ear of death:" but
they can all conceive the gratification to be derived from applauding
multitudes and loud huzzas.

One of the most obvious features however that attends upon popularity,
is its fugitive nature. No man has once been popular, and has lived
long, without experiencing neglect at least, if he were not also at some
time subjected to the very intelligible disapprobation and censure of
his fellows. The good will and kindness of the multitude has a devouring
appetite, and is like a wild beast that you should stable under your
roof, which, if you do not feed with a continual supply, will turn about
and attack its protector.

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin,--
That all, with one consent, praise new-born gauds,
And give to dust, that is a little gilt,
More laud than they will give to gold o'erdusted.

Cromwel well understood the nature of this topic, when he said, as we
are told, to one of his military companions, who called his attention to
the rapturous approbation with which they were received by the crowd on
their return from a successful expedition, "Ah, my friend, they would
accompany us with equal demonstrations of delight, if, upon no distant
occasion, they were to see us going to be hanged!"

The same thing which happens to the popularity attendant on the real
or imaginary hero of the multitude, happens also in the race after
posthumous fame.

As has already been said, the number of men is exceedingly great
in every civilised state of society, who make the sciences and arts
engendered by the human mind, the sole or the principal objects of their
occupation.

This will perhaps be most strikingly illustrated by a retrospect of
the state of European society in the middle, or, as they are frequently
styled, the dark ages.

It has been a vulgar error to imagine, that the mind of man, so far as
relates to its active and inventive powers, was sunk into a profound
sleep, from which it gradually recovered itself at the period when
Constantinople was taken by the Turks, and the books and the teachers of
the ancient Greek language were dispersed through Europe. The epoch from
which modern invention took its rise, commenced much earlier. The feudal
system, one of the most interesting contrivances of man in society, was
introduced in the ninth century; and chivalry, the offsprin