large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb_13
large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb
English
8677
Let us, casual travelers of a later and more careless day, walk now together over the place which is the indestructible memorial of a great man, and putting aside the measuring stick of criticism  the sign of small natures  try to live for an hour in the atmosphere which was the breath of life to one who, if he failed greatly, also succeeded greatly, and whose noble achievement it was not only to express, but to vivify a love for the Union which, in its hour of supreme trial, became its triumphant force. LET US CASUAL TRAVELLERS OF A LATER AND MORE CARELESS DAY WALK NOW TOGETHER OVER THE PLACE WHICH IS THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MEMORIAL OF A GREAT MAN AND PUTTING ASIDE THE MEASURING STICK OF CRITICISM THE SIGN OF SMALL NATURES TRY TO LIVE FOR AN HOUR IN THE ATMOSPHERE WHICH WAS THE BREATH OF LIFE TO ONE WHO IF HE FAILED GREATLY ALSO SUCCEEDED GREATLY AND WHOSE NOBLE ACHIEVEMENT IT WAS NOT ONLY TO EXPRESS BUT TO VIVIFY A LOVE FOR THE UNION WHICH IN ITS HOUR OF SUPREME TRIAL BECAME ITS TRIUMPHANT FORCE
 with her full harvests and blooded cattle, with her fruitful brooks and lakes; but it is still, after more than half a century, vibrant with the spirit of the man who dwelt there. We of another generation--and a generation before whom so many portentous events and figures have passed--find it hard to realize the tremendous magnetism and brilliancy of a man who has been so long dead, or properly to estimate the high historical significance of such a life. The human attribute which is the most immediately impelling in direct intercourse--personality--is the most elusive to preserve. If Webster's claim to remembrance rested solely upon that attribute, he would still be worthy of enduring fame. But his gifts flowered at a spectacular climax of national affairs and won thereby spectacular prominence. That these gifts were to lose something of their pristine repute before the end infuses, from a dramatic point of view, a contrasted and heightened luster to the period of their highest glory. NION WITH THE EARTH WITH HER FULL HARVESTS AND BLOODED CATTLE WITH HER FRUITFUL BROOKS AND LAKES BUT IS STILL AFTER MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY VIBRANT WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE MAN WHO DWELT THERE WE OF ANOTHER GENERATION AND A GENERATION BEFORE WHOM SO MANY PORTENTOUS EVENTS AND FIGURES HAVE PASSED FIND IT HARD TO REALIZE THE TREMENDOUS MAGNETISM AND BRILLIANCY OF A MAN WHO HAS BEEN SO LONG DEAD WERE PROPERLY TO ESTIMATE THE HIGH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SUCH A LIFE THE HUMAN ATTRIBUTE WHICH IS THE MOST IMMEDIATELY IMPELLING IN DIRECT INTERCOURSE PERSONALITY IS THE MOST ELUSIVE TO PRESERVE IF WEBSTER'S CLAIM TO REMEMBRANCE RESTED SOLELY UPON THAT ATTRIBUTE HE WOULD STILL BE WORTHY OF ENDURING FAME BUT HIS GIFTS FLOWERED AT A SPECTACULAR CLIMAX OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS AND WON THEREBY SPECTACULAR PROMINENCE THAT THESE GIFTS WERE TO LOSE SOMETHING OF THEIR PRISTINE REPUTE BEFORE THE END INFUSES FROM A DRAMATIC POINT OF VIEW A CONTRASTED AND HEIGHTENED LUSTRE TO THE PERIOD OF THEIR HIGHEST GLORY
large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb
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download/librilight/large/8677/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_08_edwards_64kb.flac