28 ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
Pui Not Tour Trust in Princes
WHEN Soliman the Great was marching on Belgrade in 1521, an
old woman came and complained to him that during her sleep
his soldiers had stolen her oxen, which were all .she had in the world,
" You must indeed have been wrapped in a deep sleep," snid the
Sultan, laughing, " if you did not hear the robbers."
" Yes," answered the old woman, " I was indeed .sleeping peacefully,
for I trusted Your Highness to watch over the public safety."
Soliman, admiring this speech, gave her compensation for the
damage he ought to have prevented. From an old book
Five Signs of a Failing People
WHAT are the marks of low condition in a people ? I name five.
First, when people generally look upon the Slate as a
charitable institution, which can be made to supply all I heir wants by
putting enough votes in a ballot-box. That is a sure si#n that t hey are
declining in will-power and virility,
Second, when people generally take to scamping their work in the
hours of labour, and to spending their leisure in playing the fool—a
sure sign of social incompetence and intellectual poverty.
Third, when people generally lose discipline, so that, when a big
thing has to be done or a difficult manoeuvre performed, instead of
marching together, " one equal temper of heroic hour is," they get
themselves tied up into mobs and bundles and fall to quarrelling with
one another—a sure sign that they arc badly bred and badly educated.
Fourth, when people generally buy their pleasures ready-made on
the market, in the form of external excitement-—a sure sign that per-
sonal skill is on the down grade and creativenoss passing'away.
Fifth, when religion becomes an interesting speculation, and the
existence of right and wrong a vague rumour to be inquired into by
experts—a sign that the compass is out of order and the light going
out in the binnacle box.
These are the signs of low condition in a people* Whenever any
of the five shows its head let us hit it, and hit it hard.
Dr L. P. Jacks
The Child in a Green Field
TT is better to be a child in a green field than a knight of many orders
1 in a State ceremonial George Macdonald
As the Sun Went Down
ONE told me Heraclitus, of thy death, and brought me to tears, and
I remembered how often we two in talking put the sun to rest.