I
imagine also that neither are the party-liars of politics the worst foes
to divine unity, ungenerous, and often knowingly false as they are to
their opponents, to whom they seem to have no desire to be honest and
fair. I think, rather, they must be the babbling liars of the social
circle, and the faithless brothers and unloving sisters of disunited
human families. But why inquire? Every self-assertion, every form of
self-seeking however small or poor, world-noble or grotesque, is a
separating and scattering force. And these forces are multitudinous,
these points of radial repulsion are innumerable, because of the
prevailing passion of mean souls to seem great, and feel important. If
such cannot hope to attract the attention of the great-little world, if
they cannot even become 'the cynosure of neighbouring eyes,' they will,
in what sphere they may call their own, however small it be, try to make
a party for themselves; each, revolving on his or her own axis, will
attempt to self-centre a private whirlpool of human monads. To draw such
a surrounding, the partisan of self will sometimes gnaw asunder the most
precious of bonds, poison whole broods of infant loves. Such real
schismatics go about, where not inventing evil, yet rejoicing in
iniquity; mishearing; misrepresenting; paralyzing affection; separating
hearts.
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