It is the genius of the will, commanding all the crossroads.  A country breeding hugely must prove its energy likewise in the departments of the mind, or it will ultimately be unable to feed its young—­nay, to feast its aldermen!  Let us be up and alive.—­Such was the exhortation of a profound depression.  Outside these dismal assemblies, in the streets, an ancient song of raven recurrence croaked of ’Old England a-going down the hill’; for there is a link of electricity between the street-boy and the leading article in days when the Poles exchange salutations.

Mr. Ezra’s legacy of his millions to son and daughter broke like a golden evening on the borders of the raincloud.  Things could not be so bad when a plain untitled English gentleman bequeathed in the simplest manner possible such giant heaps, a very Pelion upon Ossa, of wealth to his children.  The minds of the readers of journals were now directed to think of the hoarded treasures of this favoured country.  They might approximately be counted, but even if counted they would be past conception, like the sidereal system.  The contemplation of a million stupefies:  consider the figures of millions and millions!  Articles were written on Lombard Street, the world’s gold-mine, our granary of energy, surpassing all actual and fabulous gold-mines ever spoken of:  Aladdin’s magician would find his purse contracting and squeaking in the comparison.  Then, too, the store of jewels held by certain private families called for remark and an allusion to Sindbad the sailor, whose eyes were to dilate wider than they did in the valley of diamonds.  Why, we could, if we pleased, lie by and pass two or three decades as jolly cricketers and scullers, and resume the race for wealth with the rest of mankind, hardly sensible of the holiday in our pockets though we were the last people to do it, we were the sole people that had the option.  Our Fortunatus’ cap was put to better purposes, but to have the cap, and not to be emasculated by the possession, might excuse a little reasonable pride in ourselves.

Thus did Optimism and Pessimism have their turn, like the two great parties in the State, and the subsiding see-saw restored a proper balance, much to the nation’s comfort.  Unhappily, it was remembered, there are spectators of its method of getting to an equipoise out of the agitation of extremes.  The peep at our treasures to regain composure had, we fear, given the foreigner glimpses, and whetted the appetite of our masses.  No sooner are we at peace than these are heard uttering low howls, and those are seen enviously glaring.  The spectre, Panic, that ever dogs the optimistic feast, warns us of a sack under our beds, and robbers about to try a barely-bolted door. . .  Then do we, who have so sweetly sung our senses to sleep, start up, in their grip, rush to the doctor and the blacksmith, rig alarums, proclaim ourselves intestinally torn, defenceless, a prey to foes within and without.  It is discovered to be no worse than an alderman’s dream, but the pessimist frenzy of the night has tossed a quieting sop to the Radical, and summoned the volunteers to a review.  Laudatory articles upon the soldierly ’march past’ of our volunteers permit of a spell of soft repose, deeper than prudent, at the end of it, India and Ireland consenting.