So much contributed, to be conn'd well, to help prepare and brace our
edifice, our plann'd Idea--we still proceed to give it in another
of its aspects--perhaps the main, the high facade of all. For to
democracy, the leveler, the unyielding principle of the average, is
surely join'd another principle, equally unyielding, closely tracking
the first, indispensable to it, opposite, (as the sexes are opposite,)
and whose existence, confronting and ever modifying the other, often
clashing, paradoxical, yet neither of highest avail without the other,
plainly supplies to these grand cosmic politics of ours, and to the
launch'd-forth mortal dangers of republicanism, to-day or any day, the
counterpart and offset whereby Nature restrains the deadly original
relentlessness of all her first-class laws. This second principle is
individuality, the pride and centripetal isolation of a human being in
himself--identity--personalism. Whatever the name, its acceptance and
thorough infusion through the organizations of political commonalty
now shooting Aurora-like about the world, are of utmost importance, as
the principle itself is needed for very life's sake. It forms, in a
sort, or is to form, the compensating balance-wheel of the successful
working machinery of aggregate America.
And, if we think of it, what does civilization itself rest upon--and
what object has it, with its religions, arts, schools, &c., but rich,
luxuriant, varied personalism? To that, all bends; and it is because
toward such result democracy alone, on anything like Nature's scale,
breaks up the limitless fallows of humankind, and plants the seed, and
gives fair play, that its claims now precede the rest.
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