It was an example of trust, a
tribute to faith. It was a realization of poetry. It was in touch with
the wishes, hopes and prayers of millions of humanity; of untold
numbers of saints and martyrs of all nations and climes, and its
mission was the highest on earth--universal justice to all mankind.
Albert Brisbane, the _doctrinaire_, has departed also. Although
allusion has been made to him in the former pages of this book somewhat
in contrast with Mr. Ripley's spiritual gifts, let no person think that
I underestimate the mission he undertook or the work he accomplished in
his devotion to the master, Fourier. Certainly he deserves very great
credit, and there are those who, deep in their hearts, cherish most
profound gratitude to him and his memory.
Whatever any one may believe of the feasibility of the carrying out of
Fourier's doctrines of united industry or the practicality of any of
his theories, they must stand amazed at the bold and often extremely
beautiful conceptions of his brain; such as the actual forecasting of
the development theory before Darwin, Spencer and Huxley were born--
though not exactly in detail with them; his bolder conception still of
the destiny of man, and his Cosmogony; of the progress of present
civilization towards an oligarchy of capital, foretold so exactly,--as
is now seen by thinking minds, three quarters of a century ago; his
profound analysis of the human springs of action; his discovery of the
divine laws applicable to the future as well as to the present wants of
the human race.
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