Excerpt from The False and True in Reforms and Reformers: An Address Delivered Before the Amphisbeteon Literary Society, of Eldersridge Academy, October 1st, 1850This sort of false change and Reform makes itself visible frequently in young legislators. Certainly it does in those wishing the good opinion of their fellow men, in anticipation of some legislative day yet to come. A long time ago the wisest and the best were the lawmakers of kingdoms and republics. The work was one at which experience and ability toiled, and found it no children's frolic. It was a labor when the arm of the stripling was too weak to be a helper. But now, in this fast age, this age when shows and phantasms and desert mirages are leading men away on all sides, the legislator whose hobby is change, may get on well enough, faster and further than his betters. There is a show of wisdom about him. He is not satisfied, at all events, with things as they are. He would do something to hasten on the good time that is to come. A shadowy banner, as of a leader, is waving above him, and, if. After it the giddy, and the idle, and the thoughtless stumble along, it is enough. The show is still there, and he seems to be the chieftain of an embattled host. Alas alas That in this world the show and the reality are so often confounded! That the shadow is so frequently knelt down to, while the substance to which prayer is made is far away! That the false and the bad man can so easily wrap himself about with Truth's garments, and laugh, it may be, that no one detects the counterfeit!About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.