The key to the age may be this, or that, or the other, as the young orators describe; the key to all ages is -- Imbecility; imbecility in the vast majority of men, at all times, and, even in heroes, in all but certain eminent moments; victims of gravity, custom, and fear.

Summary

This quote suggests that while young orators may argue that the key to understanding a particular time period lies in different factors, the overarching truth is that imbecility, or a lack of intelligence and judgement, is present in the majority of people in every age. This imbecility is ingrained due to factors such as gravity, which implies conformity and perception of societal norms, as well as fear. It implies that even heroic individuals are not exempt from moments of imbecility, except for rare instances when they exhibit exceptional insight and wisdom.

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