Inscrutable, to the wisest, are these latter; not to be prophesied of, or understood.

If when the oak stands proudliest flourishing to the eye, you know that its heart is sound, it is not so with the man; how much less with the Society, with the Nation of men! Of such it may be affirmed even that the superficial aspect, that the inward feeling of full health, is generally ominous.

For indeed it is of apoplexy, so to speak, and a plethoric lazy habit of body, that Churches, Kingships, Social Institutions, oftenest die.

Sad, when such Institution plethorically says to itself, Take thy ease, thou hast goods laid up;--like the fool of the Gospel, to whom it was answered, Fool, this night thy life shall be required of thee! Is it the healthy peace, or the ominous unhealthy, that rests on France, for these next Ten Years?
Over which the Historian can pass lightly, without call to linger: for as yet events are not, much less performances.

Time of sunniest stillness;--shall we call it, what all men thought it, the new Age of God?
Call it at least, of Paper; which in many ways is the succedaneum of Gold.