His answer referred to a previous part of Bridgenorth's discourse, and was not returned till after a brief pause.
"War, then," he said, "war, the grand impoverisher, is also a creator of wealth which it wastes and devours ?" "Yes," replied Bridgenorth, "even as the sluice brings into action the sleeping waters of the lake, which it finally drains.

Necessity invents arts and discovers means; and what necessity is sterner than that of civil war?
Therefore, even war is not in itself unmixed evil, being the creator of impulses and energies which could not otherwise have existed in society." "Men should go to war, then," said Peveril, "that they may send their silver plate to the mint, and eat from pewter dishes and wooden plates ?" "Not so, my son," said Bridgenorth.

Then checking himself as he observed the deep crimson in Julian's cheek and brow, he added, "I crave your pardon for such familiarity; but I meant not to limit what I said even now to such trifling consequences, although it may be something salutary to tear men from their pomps and luxuries, and teach those to be Romans who would otherwise be Sybarites.

But I would say, that times of public danger, as they call into circulation the miser's hoard and the proud man's bullion, and so add to the circulating wealth of the country, do also call into action many a brave and noble spirit, which would otherwise lie torpid, give no example to the living, and bequeath no name to future ages.

Society knows not, and cannot know, the mental treasures which slumber in her bosom, till necessity and opportunity call forth the statesman and the soldier from the shades of lowly life to the parts they are designed by Providence to perform, and the stations which nature had qualified them to hold.