Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/310



ideal ; but  here  was  its  first  great  romance  of  utilitar- ianism. This was  no  island  of  ^gina  to  be  peopled by transforming  ants  into  men ;  but  here  men  were  to be  made  monarchs ;  mind  was  to  be  emancipated,  and thought left  to  its  unfoldings,  such  as  never  had  yet been done  under  the  sun. Here, martyrs  and  heroes, unsainted and  unsung,  amidst  strugglings  and  suffer- ings, were to  achieve  glorious  things  for  the  race.

Digging in  the  dirt,  selling  rum,  tobacco,  flour,  and bacon, hammering  out  mining  machinery,  assaying gold and  the  like,  seem  dull  and  prosaic  occupations enough when  compared  with  the  tilts  and  tournaments of knight-errantry,  the  pious  enthusiasm  of  crusaders, and the  thrilling  deeds  on  the  battle-fields  ;  neverthe- less the poetry  and  romance  are  here  for  all  who  pre- fer reality to  fantasy. Here, weather-beaten  and bearded diggers  are  unearthing  primeval  treasures which shall  revolutionize  commerce  and  society  ;  they are bringing  to  light  brilliant  gold  wherewith  to  buy happiness; and  these  ministering  towns  and  cities which spring  up  on  every  side  as  if  by  magic,  are  the marts of  their  servitors  who  feed  and  clothe  their occupants. Gold-getting, however,  is  not  an  end  but a means ;  it  is  only  an  incentive  or  impulse  in  the great plan  of  jjrogress. The romance  of  it  is  found  in  the strange developments,  the  wonderful  events,  the  grand display of  that  force  which  brings  order  out  of  chaos, and places  under  subjection  to  the  whole,  tempers  op- pugnant and  apparently  ungovernable,  with  the  least personal restraint  possible.

By the  prudish  and  pharisaical  tliis  anomalous  life and society  may  be  regarded  with  abhorrence ;  by  the social philosopher  and  lover  of  the  race,  it  will  be studied  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  instructive pages of  history. In older  societies  impurities  sink  to the  bottom  or  gather  in  slimy  corners;  but  when  the stream of  progress,  in  an  ungovernable  torrent,  forced a new  channel  westward,  filth  and  purity  were  stirred up together,  and  its  waters  became  thick  with  passion