Another principle is, the deepest affections of our hearts gather around some human form in which are incarnated the living thoughts and ideas of the passing age.

Simpson argues that people’s strongest loyalties and loves rarely attach to abstractions alone; they “gather around” a person who embodies the era’s dominant ideas. The “human form” functions as a living symbol—someone in whom a generation’s beliefs, hopes, and moral energies seem made visible and tangible. The line suggests a theory of leadership and historical memory: movements and “living thoughts” become emotionally compelling when incarnated in exemplary figures, which helps explain why societies elevate certain individuals into representatives of their time. It also hints at the risks of personalizing ideals—devotion can shift from principles to personalities, for good or ill.