Orestes a Brownson

The American Republic Orestes a Brownson

Book Excerpt: ue to this work is evident from my consentingto its publication; but how much or how little of it is reallymine, I am quite unable to say. I have, from my youth up, beenreading, observing, thinking, reflecting, talking, I had almostsaid writing, at least by fits and starts, on political subjects, especially in their connection with philosophy, theology, history, and social progress, and have assimilated to my own mind what itwould assimilate, without keeping any notes of the sources whencethe materials assimilated were derived. I have written freelyfrom my own mind as I find it now formed; but how it has been soformed, or whence I have borrowed, my readers know as well as I. All that is valuable in the thoughts set forth, it is safe to assumehas been appropriated from others. Where I have been distinctlyconscious of borrowing what has not become common property, I havegiven credit, or, at least, mentioned the author's name, with threeimportant exceptions which I wish to note more formally. IRead Mo