Public life,in any professional form,is quite forbidden;to work with his fellows anywhere appears to be forbidden:nor can the humblest solitary endeavor to work worthily as yet find an arena.How unfold one's little bit of talent;and live,and not lie sleeping,while it is called To-day?As Radical,as Reforming Politician in any public or private form,--not only has this,in Sterling's case,received tragical sentence and execution;but the opposite extreme,the Church whither he had fled,likewise proves abortive:the Church also is not the haven for him at all.What is to be done?Something must be done,and soon,--under penalties.Whoever has received,on him there is an inexorable behest to give."_Fais ton fait_,Do thy little stroke of work:"this is Nature's voice,and the sum of all the commandments,to each man!
A shepherd of the people,some small Agamemnon after his sort,doing what little sovereignty and guidance he can in his day and generation:such every gifted soul longs,and should long,to be.But how,in any measure,is the small kingdom necessary for Sterling to be attained?
Not through newspapers and parliaments,not by rubrics and reading-desks:none of the sceptres offered in the world's market-place,nor none of the crosiers there,it seems,can be the shepherd's-crook for this man.A most cheerful,hoping man;and full of swift faculty,though much lamed,--considerably bewildered too;and tending rather towards the wastes and solitary places for a home;the paved world not being friendly to him hitherto!The paved world,in fact,both on its practical and spiritual side,slams to its doors against him;indicates that he cannot enter,and even must not,--that it will prove a choke-vault,deadly to soul and to body,if he enter.