In it he found no comprehension, seeing that it regarded humanity either as a herd of slaves or a pack of wolves, and not as brethren labouring, suffering, performing a common destiny, yielding to a common fate.

He saw in the law no actual recognition of the individual, but only the acknowledgment of the social body.

Thus, set down in a day miraculously clear, placed among strong characters who had never yet yielded up their souls, witnessing that time which knew the last blaze of the spirit of men absolutely free.

Franklin felt his own soul leap into a prayer for the continuance of that day.
Seeing then that this might not be, he fell sometimes to the dreaming of how he might some day, if blessed by the pitying and understanding spirit of things, bring out these types, perpetuate these times, and so at last set them lovingly before a world which might at least wonder, though it did not understand.

Such were his vague dreams, unformulated; but, happily, meantime he was not content merely to dream..