History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past$$$ trying to reconstruct its scenes$$$ to revive its echoes$$$ and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days. What is the worth of all this? The only guide to a man is his cons

History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past$$$ trying to reconstruct its scenes$$$ to revive its echoes$$$ and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days. What is the worth of all this? The only guide to a man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions. It is very imprudent to walk through life without this shield$$$ because we are so often mocked by the failure of our hopes and the upsetting of our calculations; but with this shield$$$ however the fates may play$$$ we march always in the ranks of honor.