He had the bitterness of knowing that the advantage of the high-road was slight, indirect, and sometimes null to himself, while it was direct and great to the town merchants and the country gentlemen, who contributed not an hour nor a sou to the work.
Morley points out the inequity faced by the French peasant who bore the burden of road maintenance without any benefit.
Share
More from John Morley
A rendering less apt for this occasion finds favour with some scholars, that true virtue can never be restored to those who have once fallen away from it.
They might learn how the true gentleman speaks of one whom he cannot but admit to have devoted a long life to the search of truth, and allow to have sacrificed every personal prospect to the promulgation of that which appeared to him as…
Individuals may recover from even serious sickness; it does not appear to be the way with governments.”—Mr.
If they, situated exactly as we are, decline to join, we are not bound single-handed to make up the deficiencies of the rest.
Other voices in this conversation
