Seizing it, a fiery youth mounted upon the bowed shoulders of
an old man, his sire; and with a shrill voice, ever and anon
interrupted by outcries, read as follows:--

"Sovereign-kings of Vivenza! it is fit you should hearken to wisdom.
But well aware, that you give ear to little wisdom except of your own;
and that as freemen, you are free to hunt down him who dissents from
your majesties; I deem it proper to address you anonymously.

"And if it please you, you may ascribe this voice to the gods: for
never will you trace it to man.

"It is not unknown, sovereign-kings! that in these boisterous days,
the lessons of history are almost discarded, as super seded by present
experiences. And that while all Mardi's Present has grown out of its
Past, it is becoming obsolete to refer to what has been. Yet,
peradventure, the Past is an apostle.

"The grand error of this age, sovereign-kings! is the general
supposition, that the very special Diabolus is abroad; whereas, the
very special Diabolus has been abroad ever since Mardi began.

"And the grand error of your nation, sovereign-kings! seems this:--The
conceit that Mardi is now in the last scene of the last act of her
drama; and that all preceding events were ordained, to bring about the
catastrophe you believe to be at hand,--a universal and permanent
Republic.

"May it please you, those who hold to these things are fools, and not