“There is in this country this immense difference from Europe, that, whereas all their systems of government and society are historical, our politics are almost ideal. We wish to treat man as man, without regard to rank, wealth, race, color, or caste,—simply as human souls. We lie near to Nature, we are pensioners on Nature, draw on inexhaustible resources, and we interfere the least possible with individual freedom.” [236] _Page 527, note 1._ In the “Historical Discourse” in this volume, Mr. Emerson tells of the evolution of the town-meeting of New England and its working excellence, and of the latter also in “Social Aims” and “Eloquence,” in _Letters and Social Aims_. [237] _Page 540, note 1._ For you can teach the lightning speech, And round the globe your voices reach. “Boston,” _Poems_. [238] _Page 541, note 1._ I will divide my goods; Call in the wretch and slave: None shall rule but the humble, And none but Toil shall have. “Boston Hymn,” _Poems_. [239] _Page 544, note 1._ The following passages came from the earlier lecture:— “I must be permitted to read a quotation from De Tocqueville, whose censure is more valuable, as it comes from one obviously very partial to the American character and institutions:— “‘I know no country in which there is so little true independence of opinion and freedom of discussion as in America’ (vol. i., p. 259).” “I am far from thinking it late. I don’t despond at all whilst I hear the verdicts of European juries against us—Renan says this; Arnold says that. That does not touch us. “’Tis doubtful whether London, whether Paris can answer the questions which now rise in the human mind. But the humanity of all nations is now in the American Union. Europe, England is historical still. Our politics, our social frame are almost ideal. We have got suppled into a state of melioration. When I see the emigrants landing at New York, I say, There they go—to school. “In estimating nations, potentiality must be considered as well as power; not what to-day’s actual performance is, but what promise is in the mind which a crisis will bring out.” “The war has established a chronic hope, for a chronic despair. It is not a question whether we shall be a nation, or only a multitude of people. No, that has been conspicuously decided already; but whether we shall be the new nation, guide and lawgiver of all nations, as having clearly chosen and firmly held the simplest and best rule of political society.