Publisher's Synopsis
Transplanted institutions grow slowly; civilization can not be put into a ship and carriedacross an ocean. The history of this country is a sequence of illustrations of these truths. Itwas settled by civilized men and women from civilized countries, yet after two and a halfcenturies, with unbroken communication with the mother systems, it is still imperfectlycivilized. In learning and letters, in art and the science of government, America is but a faintand stammering echo of Europe.For nearly all that is good in our American civilization we are indebted to the Old World;the errors and mischiefs are of our own creation. We have originated little, because there islittle to originate, but we have unconsciously reproduced many of the discredited systemsof former ages and other countries-receiving them at second hand, but making them oursby the sheer strength and immobility of the national belief in their novelty. Novelty! Why, itis not possible to make an experiment in government, in art, in literature, in sociology, or inmorals, that has not been made over, and over, and over again.The glories of England are our glories. She can achieve nothing that our fathers did not helpto make possible to her. The learning, the power, the refinement of a great nation, are notthe growth of a century, but of many centuries; each generation builds upon the work of thepreceding. For untold ages our ancestors wrought to rear that "reverend pile," thecivilization of England. And shall we now try to belittle the mighty structure because otherthough kindred hands are laying the top courses while we have elected to found a newtower in another land? The American eulogist of civilization who is not proud of hisheritage in England's glory is unworthy to enjoy his lesser heritage in the lesser glory of hisown country.
