Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/128

120 convex glass that kindles a fire, not that which is even."

"The narrow can only influence the ignorant."

"The narrow will always influence the bulk of men, for the bulk of mankind is ignorant, not perhaps of the three R's, but of the compensating forces which keep the social and political systems from flying to pieces."

"Thank heaven, Julia, the country is not in the hands of fanatics to whirl her to destruction."

"How long will it remain so? There are plenty of hot-brained Phaethons who think themselves capable of driving the horses of the sun, and who have not yet learned to control themselves. To my mind, Lamerton, our class is the fly-wheel that saves the watch from running down at a gallop, and marking no progress at all. In the chronometer the balance-wheel is made up of two metals with different powers of contraction and expansion, one holds the other in check, and produces equilibrium. The wheel oscillates this way, that way, and acts as a controlling power on the mainspring and modifies the action of the wheels. Our class is so constituted with its double character, is so brought into relation with all parties in politics, is so associated with every kind of interest in the country, that it is swung this way, that way, is kept in perpetual vibration, and acts as an effective regulator on the violent forces in the political and social world—forces confined, and strong because confined, forces which keep the machine going, but which uncontrolled would wreck it."

"I dare say you are right, Julia, I have no doubt the social classes are all as, and where they ought to be, superposed as geologic strata, but wonderfully contorted, it must be allowed, in places. To change the subject—what have you said to Arminell about that fellow for whom she pleaded?"

"Samuel Ceely?"