This tendency has one of its most amusing reflections in a criticism by Hume, who said of the great poet that "a reasonable propriety of thought he cannot for any time uphold."] Smile as we may over that frigid elegance, it seemed none the less impressive in the days of auld lang syne, and even yet we hear echoes of the play in a round of familiar quotations.
"The woman who deliberates is lost;" And "'Tis not in mortals to command success, But we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve it;" And "Curse on his virtues, they've undone his country." still fall lightly on our ear.

But the tragedy is forgotten, and why seek to resurrect those once-beloved characters?
Cato, Marcia, Juba, and the rest--figures of classic marble rather than of flesh and blood--have all gone to that bourne whence no stage travellers return.
They lie buried 'mid all the pomp of mouldering books, and there let them peacefully decay..