Butheremycompanionsseizedanarmoneachside；theirnerves
weretrembling；and，sweetervictorystill，Ihadreachedtheseldom
troddenplacesoftheirhearts，andfoundthewell-springoftheir
tears。Andnowthepasthaddoneallitcould。Weslowlydescended，
watchingthelightsastheytwinkledgraduallythroughthetown，and
listeningtothedistantmirthofboysatplay，andtothevoiceof
ayounggirlwarblingsomewhereinthedusk，apleasantsoundto
wanderersfromoldwitchtimes。Yet，ereweleftthehill，wecould
notbutregretthatthereisnothingonitsbarrensummit，norelic
ofold，norletteredstoneoflaterdays，toassisttheimagination
inappealingtotheheart。Webuildthememorialcolumnontheheight
whichourfathersmadesacredwiththeirblood，pouredoutinaholy
cause。Andhere，indark，funerealstone，shouldriseanother
monument，sadlycommemorativeoftheerrorsofanearlierrace，and
nottobecastdown，whilethehumanhearthasoneinfirmitythat
mayresultincrime。
byNathanielHawthorne
ONCEUPONATIME-butwhetherinthetimepastortimetocome，
isamatteroflittleornomoment-thiswideworldhadbecomeso
overburthenedwithanaccumulationofworn-outtrumpery，thatthe
inhabitantsdeterminedtoridthemselvesofitbyageneralbonfire。
Thesitefixedupon，attherepresentationoftheinsurancecompanies，
andasbeingascentralaspotasanyotherontheglobe，wasoneof
thebroadestprairiesoftheWest，wherenohumanhabitationwould
beendangeredbytheflames，andwhereavastassemblageofspectators
mightcommodiouslyadmiretheshow。Havingatasteforsightsof
thiskind，andimagining，likewise，thattheilluminationofthe
bonfiremightrevealsomeprofundityormoraltruth，heretoforehidden
inmistordarkness，Imadeitconvenienttojourneythitherandbe
present。Atmyarrival，althoughtheheapofcondemnedrubbishwas
asyetcomparativelysmall，thetorchhadalreadybeenapplied。Amid
thatboundlessplain，intheduskoftheevening，likeafar-off
staraloneinthefirmament，therewasmerelyvisibleonetremulous
gleam，whencenonecouldhaveanticipatedsofierceablazeaswas
destinedtoensue。Witheverymoment，however，therecame
foot-travellers，womenholdinguptheiraprons，menonhorseback，
wheelbarrows，lumberingbaggagewagons，andothervehicles，great
andsmall，andfromfarandnear，ladenwitharticlesthatwerejudged
fitfornothingbuttobeburnt。
“Whatmaterialshavebeenusedtokindletheflame？”inquiredI
ofabystander，forIwasdesirousofknowingthewholeprocessofthe
affairfrombeginningtoend。
ThepersonwhomIaddressedwasagraveman，fiftyyearsold，or
thereabout，whohadevidentlycomethitherasalooker-on；hestruck
meimmediatelyashavingweighedforhimselfthetruevalueoflife
anditscircumstances，andthereforeasfeelinglittlepersonal
interestinwhateverjudgmenttheworldmightformofthem。Before
answeringmyquestion，helookedmeintheface，bythekindlinglight
ofthefire。
“Oh，someverydrycombustibles。”repliedhe，“andextremely
suitabletothepurpose-noother，infact，thanyesterday’s
newspapers，lastmonth’smagazines，andlastyear’switheredleaves。
Here，now，comessomeantiquatedtrash，thatwilltakefirelikea
handfulofshavings。”
Ashespoke，somerough-lookingmenadvancedtothevergeofthe
bonfire，andthrewin，asitappeared，alltherubbishoftheHerald’s
office；theblazonryofcoat-armor，thecrestsanddevicesof
illustriousfamilies；pedigreesthatextendedback，likelinesof
light，intothemistofthedarkages，togetherwithstars，garters，
andembroideredcollars，eachofwhich，aspaltryabaubleasitmight
appeartotheuninstructedeye，hadoncepossessedvast
significance，andwasstill，intruth，reckonedamongthemost
preciousofmoralormaterialfacts，bytheworshippersofthe
gorgeouspast。Mingledwiththisconfusedheap，whichwastossed
intotheflamesbyarmfulsatonce，wereinnumerablebadgesof
knighthood，comprisingthoseofalltheEuropeansovereignties，and
Napoleon’sdecorationoftheLegionofHonor，theribandsofwhich
wereentangledwiththoseoftheancientorderofSt。Louis。There，
too，werethemedalsofourownsocietyofCincinnati，bymeansof
which，ashistorytellsus，anorderofhereditaryknightscamenear
beingconstitutedoutoftheking-quellersoftheRevolution。And
besides，therewerethepatentsofnobilityofGermancountsand
barons，Spanishgrandees，andEnglishpeers，fromtheworm-eaten
instrumentssignedbyWilliamtheConqueror，downtothebran-new
parchmentofthelatestlordwhohasreceivedhishonorsfromthefair
handofVictoria。
Atsightofthesedensevolumesofsmoke，mingledwithvividjets
offlamethatgushedandeddiedforthfromthisimmensepileof
earthlydistinctions，themultitudeofplebeianspectatorssetupa
joyousshout，andclapttheirhandswithanemphasisthatmadethe
welkinecho。Thatwastheirmomentoftriumph，achieved，afterlong
ages，overcreaturesofthesameclayandthesamespiritual
infirmities，whohaddaredtoassumetheprivilegesdueonlyto
Heaven’sbetterworkmanship。Butnowthererushedtowardsthe
blazingheapagray-hairedman，ofstatelypresence，wearingacoat
fromthebreastofwhichastar，orotherbadgeofrank，seemedto
havebeenforciblywrenchedaway。Hehadnotthetokensof
intellectualpowerinhisface；butstilltherewasthedemeanor-
thehabitual，andalmostnativedignity-ofonewhohadbeenbornto
theideaofhisownsocialsuperiority，andhadneverfeltit
questionedtillthatmoment。
“People。”criedhe，gazingattheruinofwhatwasdearesttohis
eyeswithgriefandwonder，butnevertheless，withadegreeof
stateliness；“people，whathaveyoudone！Thisfireisconsumingall
thatmarkedyouradvancefrombarbarism，orthatcouldhave
preventedyourrelapsethither。We-themenoftheprivileged
orders-werethosewhokeptalive，fromagetoage，theoldchivalrous
spirit；thegentleandgenerousthought；thehigher，thepurer，the
morerefinedanddelicatelife！Withthenobles，too，youcastoffthe
poet，thepainter，thesculptor-allthebeautifularts；forwewere
theirpatronsandcreatedtheatmosphereinwhichtheyflourish。In
abolishingthemajesticdistinctionsofrank，societylosesnotonly
itsgrace，butitssteadfastness-“
Morehewoulddoubtlesshavespoken，butheretherearosean
outcry，sportive，contemptuous，andindignant，thataltogetherdrowned
theappealofthefallennobleman，insomuchthat，castingonelook
ofdespairathisownhalf-burntpedigree，heshrunkbackintothe
crowd，gladtoshelterhimselfunderhisnew-foundinsignificance。
“Lethimthankhisstarsthatwehavenotflunghimintothesame
fire！”shoutedarudefigure，spurningtheemberswithhisfoot。“And，
henceforth，letnomandaretoshowapieceofmustyparchmentas
hiswarrantforlordingitoverhisfellows！Ifhehavestrengthof
arm，wellandgood；itisonespeciesofsuperiority。Ifhehave
wit，wisdom，courage，forceofcharacter，lettheseattributesdo
forhimwhattheymay。But，fromthisdayforward，nomortalmusthope
forplaceandconsiderationbyreckoningupthemouldybonesofhis
ancestors！Thatnonsenseisdoneaway。”
“Andingoodtime。”remarkedthegraveobserverbymyside，ina
lowvoice，however-“ifnoworsenonsensecomesinitsplace。But，
atallevents，thisspeciesofnonsensehasfairlylivedoutits
life。”
Therewaslittlespacetomuseormoralizeovertheembersof
thistime-honoredrubbish；for，beforeitwashalfburntout，there
cameanothermultitudefrombeyondthesea，bearingthepurplerobes
ofroyalty，andthecrowns，globes，andsceptresofemperorsand
kings。Allthesehadbeencondemnedasuselessbaubles，playthings，at
best，fitonlyfortheinfancyoftheworld，orrodstogovernand
chastiseitinitsnonage；butwithwhichuniversalmanhood，atits
full-grownstature，couldnolongerbrooktobeinsulted。Intosuch
contempthadtheseregalinsignianowfallen，thatthegildedcrown
andtinseledrobesoftheplayer-king，fromDrury-LaneTheatre，had
beenthrowninamongtherest，doubtlessasamockeryofhis
brother-monarchsonthegreatstageoftheworld。Itwasastrange
sighttodiscernthecrown-jewelsofEngland，glowingandflashing
inthemidstofthefire。Someofthemhadbeendelivereddownfrom
thetimeoftheSaxonprinces；otherswerepurchasedwithvast
revenues，or，perchance，ravishedfromthedeadbrowsofthenative
potentatesofHindostan；andthewholenowblazedwithadazzling
lustre，asifastarhadfalleninthatspot，andbeenshattered
intofragments。Thesplendoroftheruinedmonarchyhadnoreflection，
saveinthoseinestimablepreciousstones。Butenoughonthissubject。
ItwerebuttedioustodescribehowtheEmperorofAustria’smantle
wasconvertedtotinder，andhowthepostsandpillarsoftheFrench
thronebecameaheapofcoals，whichitwasimpossibleto
distinguishfromthoseofanyotherwood。Letmeadd，however，that
InoticedoneoftheexiledPolesstirringupthebonfirewiththe
CzarofRussia’ssceptre，whichheafterwardsflungintotheflames。
“Thesmellofsingedgarmentsisquiteintolerablehere。”
observedmynewacquaintance，asthebreezeenvelopedusinthe
smokeofaroyalwardrobe。“Letusgettowindward，andseewhat
theyaredoingontheothersideofthebonfire。”
Weaccordinglypassedaround，andwerejustintimetowitness
thearrivalofavastprocessionofWashingtonians-asthevotariesof
temperancecallthemselvesnow-a-days-accompaniedbythousandsofthe
IrishdisciplesofFatherMathew，withthatgreatapostleattheir
head。Theybroughtarichcontributiontothebonfire；beingnothing
lessthanallthehogsheadsandbarrelsofliquorintheworld，
whichtheyrolledbeforethemacrosstheprairie。
“Now，mychildren。”criedFatherMathew，whentheyreachedthe
vergeofthefire-“oneshovemore，andtheworkisdone！Andnow
letusstandoffandseeSatandealwithhisownliquor！”
Accordingly，havingplacedtheirwoodenvesselswithinreachofthe
flames，theprocessionstoodoffatasafedistance，andsoonbeheld
themburstintoablazethatreachedtheclouds，andthreatenedtoset
theskyitselfonfire。Andwellitmight。Forherewasthewhole
world’sstockofspirituousliquors，which，insteadofkindlinga
frenziedlightintheeyesofindividualtopers，asofyore，soared
upwardswithabewilderinggleamthatstartledallmankind。Itwasthe
aggregateofthatfiercefirewhichwouldotherwisehavescorched
theheartsofmillions。Meantime，numberlessbottlesofprecious
winewereflungintotheblaze，whichlappedupthecontentsasif
itlovedthem，andgrew，likeotherdrunkards，themerrierandfiercer
forwhatitquaffed。Neveragainwilltheinsatiablethirstofthe
fire-fiendbesopampered！Herewerethetreasuresoffamous
bon-vivants-liquorsthathadbeentossedonocean，andmellowedin
thesun，andhoardedlongintherecessesoftheearth-thepale，
thegold，theruddyjuiceofwhatevervineyardsweremostdelicate-
theentirevintageofTokay-allminglinginonestreamwiththe
vilefluidsofthecommonpot-house，andcontributingtoheighten
theself-sameblaze。Andwhileitroseinagiganticspire，that
seemedtowaveagainstthearchofthefirmament，andcombineitself
withthelightofstars，themultitudegaveashout，asifthebroad
earthwereexultinginitsdeliverancefromthecurseofages。
Butthejoywasnotuniversal。Manydeemedthathumanlifewouldbe
gloomierthanever，whenthatbriefilluminationshouldsinkdown。
Whilethereformerswereatwork，Ioverheardmuttered
expostulationsfromseveralrespectablegentlemenwithrednoses，
andwearinggoutyshoes；andaraggedworthy，whosefacelookedlikea
hearthwherethefireisburntout，nowexpressedhisdiscontent
moreopenlyandboldly。
“Whatisthisworldgoodfor。”saidthelasttoper，“nowthatwe
canneverbejollyanymore？Whatistocomfortthepoormaninsorrow
andperplexity？howishetokeephisheartwarmagainstthecold
windsofthischeerlessearth？andwhatdoyouproposetogivehim
inexchangeforthesolacethatyoutakeaway？Howareoldfriends
tosittogetherbythefireside，withoutacheerfulglassbetween
them？Aplagueuponyourreformation！Itisasadworld，acoldworld，
aselfishworld，alowworld，notworthanhonestfellow’sliving
in，nowthatgoodfellowshipisgoneforever！”
Thisharangueexcitedgreatmirthamongthebystanders。But，
preposterousaswasthesentiment，Icouldnothelpcommiserating
theforlornconditionofthelasttoper，whoseboon-companionshad
dwindledawayfromhisside，leavingthepoorfellowwithoutasoulto
countenancehiminsippinghisliquor，norindeedanyliquortosip。
Notthatthiswasquitethetruestateofthecase；forIhadobserved
him，atacriticalmoment，filchabottleoffourth-proofbra
