large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb_25
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb
English
6138
Yet a few words may be necessary concerning the birth of our present epoch and the hopes it gave rise to, and what has become of them: that will not take us very far back in history; as to my mind our modern civilization begins with the stirring period about the time of the Reformation in England, the time which in the then more important countries of the Continent is known as the period of the Renaissance, the so called new birth of art and learning. YET A FEW WORDS MAY BE NECESSARY CONCERNING THE BIRTH OF OUR PRESENT EPOCH AND THE HOPES IT GAVE RISE TO AND WHAT HAS BECOME OF THEM THAT WILL NOT TAKE US VERY FAR BACK IN HISTORY AS TO MY MIND OUR MODERN CIVILIZATION BEGINS WITH THE STIRRING PERIOD ABOUT THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION IN ENGLAND THE TIME WHICH IN THE THEN MORE IMPORTANT COUNTRIES OF THE CONTINENT IS KNOWN AS THE PERIOD OF THE RENAISSANCE THE SO CALLED NEW BIRTH OF ART AND LEARNING
ay be among the elements of their society which may be used as palliatives for the misery which, long existing and ever growing greater among the slaves of that society, is now at last forcing itself on the attention of the masters. Times of change, disruption, and revolution are naturally times of hope also, and not seldom the hopes of something better to come are the first tokens that tell people that revolution is at hand, though commonly such tokens are no more believed than Cassandra’s prophecies, or are even taken in a contrary sense by those who have anything to lose; since they look upon them as signs of the prosperity of the times, and the long endurance of that state of things which is so kind to them. Let us then see what the hopes of civilization are like to-day: for indeed I purpose speaking of our own times chiefly, and will leave for the present all mention of that older civilization which was destroyed by the healthy barbarism out of which our present society has grown. E WHAT THERE MAY BE AMONG THE ELEMENTS OF THEIR SOCIETY WHICH MAY BE USED AS PALLIATIVES FOR THE MISERY WHICH LONG EXISTING ENDEAVOR GROWING GREATER AMONG THE SLAVES OF THAT SOCIETY IS NOW AT LAST FORCING ITSELF ON THE ATTENTION OF THE MASTERS TIMES OF CHANGE DISRUPTION AND REVOLUTION ARE NATURALLY TIMES OF HOPE ALSO AND NOT SELDOM THE HOPES OF SOMETHING BETTER TO COME ARE THE FIRST TOKENS THAT TELL PEOPLE THAT REVOLUTION IS AT HAND THOUGH COMMONLY SUCH TOKENS ARE NO MORE BELIEVED THAN CASSANDRA'S PROPHECIES OR ARE EVEN TAKEN IN A CONTRARY SENSE BY THOSE WHO HAVE ANYTHING TO LOSE SINCE THEY LOOK UPON THEM AS SIGNS OF THE PROSPERITY OF THE TIMES AND THE LONG ENDURANCE OF THAT STATE OF THINGS WHICH IS SO KIND TO THEM LET US THEN SEE WHAT THE HOPES OF CIVILIZATION ARE LIKE TO DAY FOR INDEED I PURPOSE SPEAKING OF OUR OWN TIMES CHIEFLY AND WILL LEAVE FOR THE PRESENT ALL MENTION OF THAT OLDER CIVILIZATION WHICH WAS DESTROYED BY THE HEALTHY BARBARISM OUT OF WHICH OUR PRESENT SOCIETY HAS GROWN
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb.flac