Ger. But what if these, so numerous, though so humble, Refuse Obedience to the mighty few?
Ors. I would destroy them, and create anew.
—Hast not observ’d the Sea,
Where every Wave that hastens to the Bank,
Though in its angry Course it overtake a thousand petty ones,
How unconcern’d ‘twill triumph o’er their Ruin,
And make an easy Passage to the Shore?—
Ger. Which in its proud career ‘twill roughly kiss, And then ‘twill break to nothing.
Ors. Why, thou and I, though tame and peaceable,
Are mortal, and must unregarded fall.
—Oh, that thought! that damn’d resistless thought!
Methinks it hastens Fate before its time,
And makes me wish for what I fain wou’d shun.
Ger. Appease your self with thoughts of future Bliss.
Ors. Future Bliss! the Dreams of lazy Fools;
Why did my Soul take Habitation here,
Here in this dull unactive piece of Earth!
Why did it not take Wing in its Creation,
And soar above the hated Bounds of this?
What does it lingring here?
Ger. To make itself fit for that glorious End ’.was first design’d for,— By patient suffering here.
Ors. But, Geron, still to live! still thus to live
In expectation of that future Bliss,
(Though I believ’d it) is a sort of Virtue
I find the Gods have not inspir’d me with.
Ger. Philosophy will teach you, Sir,—
Ors. Not to be wise, or happy— I’ll hear no more of your Philosophy. —Leave me.—for I of late desire to be without thee.