This last prediction may, perhaps, be true; I mean, if those others
should ever be accomplished. But as I have no great faith in modern
prophecy, and see at present no symptoms of this coming age of gold,
which your fancy has now presented to us, you must excuse me if these
_prophetic strains_, as you termed them, have no great weight with me
before their completion. Should that ever happen, I shall respect your
foresight, at least; and rejoice extremely at an event, which, I shall
then freely own, will leave my countrymen no excuse for their folly.
This, Sir, was the substance of what passed between us on the subject
in question. Our other friends interposed, indeed, at times; but
rarely, and in few words; and I have rather chosen to mix their
occasional observations with our own, than perplex and lengthen this
recital by a more punctilious exactness. Besides, I could not think
it civil to introduce my friends upon the scene, only to shew them,
as it were, for mutes; their politeness to us, who were principals
in the debate, being such, as to restrain them from bearing any
considerable part in it. Yet this way of relation would, no doubt, have
given something more of life to the sketch I here send you; as their
presence, you may believe, certainly did to the original conversation.
It is enough to say, that nothing more material, than what I have now
related to you, passed on the occasion. For by this time the day was
pretty well spent, and it was necessary for us to withdraw to our
several engagements.
For myself, I leave you to guess the effect which our philosopher’s
grave remonstrance left upon me. One thing you will think remarkable;
that the part of arraigning the present state of things should fall
to my share; while he, at an age that is naturally querulous and
dissatisfied, was employed in defending it. Whether this be a proof
of his wisdom, or good spirits, I pretend not to say. But it gave me
a pleasure to hear the old man indulging himself in the prospect of
better days, of which, as young as we are, and as warmly as we wish for
them, you and I had always despaired.