"With regard to the King"s horse, you must knew that, while I was walking in the roads of this wood, I perceived the marks of the hoofs of a horse. They were all at equal distances. Here, said I, is a horse which gallops perfectly. The dust of the trees, in a narrow route only seven feet broad, was brushed off here and there, to right and left, at three and a half feet from the middle of the road. This horse, I added, has a tail three and a half feet long, which, by its movement right and left, has scattered the dust.
"I had seen under the trees, which formed a canopy five feet high, newly-fallen leaves from the branches, and I knew that this horse had touched them, and therefore it was five feet high. As to the bridle, I knew it must be of gold, for I saw where it had rubbed its bit against a stone. I judged, finally, by the marks which its shoes had left on the pebbles of another kind, that it was shod with silver. "All the judges marvelled at Zadig"s deep and subtle discernment, and a report of it reached the King and Queen. The registrar, the bailiffs, and the attorneys came to his house with great solemnity to restore him his four hundred ounces; they kept back only three hundred and ninety-eight of them for legal expenses; and their servants, too, claimed their fees. Zadig saw how very dangerous it sometimes is to show oneself too knowing.
Voltaire (pen-name of Francois Marie Arouet)
"How hast thou purchased this experience? " "By my penny of observation. "Shakespeare
Author.-Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire (1694-1778) was a French poet and philosopher who wrote tales, dramas, histories, and essays, and exercised great influence over European thought.
General.-The exploits of Sherlock Holmes and other moderndetectives of fiction are not more interesting than those in old stories. Remember the Dervish and the Camel. Find an instance of Voltaire"s sarcasm in the last paragraph, and another in the middle of the story.
Lesson 43
"WHERE LIES THE LAND? "
Where lies the land to which the ship would go? Far, far ahead is all her seamen know.
And where the land she travels from? Away, Far, far behind, is all that they can say.
On sunny noons, upon the deck"s smooth face, Linked arm in arm, how pleasant here to pace; Or, o"er the stern reclining, watch belowThe foaming wake far-widening as we go.
On stormy nights when wild north-westers rave, How proud a thing to fight with wind and wave ! The dripping sailor on the reeling mastExults to bear, and scorns to wish it past.
Where lies the land to which the ship would go? Far, far ahead is all her seamen know.
And where the land she travels from? Away, Far, far behind, is all that they can say.
A. H. Clough
Author.-Arthur Hugh Clough (1819-1861), an English poet educated at Rugby College and Oxford University. He is best known by his short lyrics. He was the " Little Arthur " of Tom Brown"s School-days. He was a great friend of Matthew Arnold, who wrote to his memory a notable elegy, Thyrsis.
General.-What does "the ship " represent? Can you find any answersto the poet"s Whence? and Whither?
Lesson 44
CR?SUS AND SOLON
In olden times there reigned over a certain country a great and wealthy king called Cr?sus. One day there chanced to visit Cr?sus a Greek philosopher named Solon, famed as a wise man and just.
Seated upon his throne, and robed in his most gorgeous apparel, Cr?sus asked of Solon: "Have you ever seen aught more splendid than this? "" Of a surety have I, " replied Solon. "Peacocks, cocks, and pheasants glitter with colours so diverse and so brilliant that no art can compare with them. "Then Cr?sus exhibited the whole of his riches before Solon"s eyes, and boasted of the number of foes he had slain, and the number of territories he had conquered. Then he said: "You have lived long in the world, and have visited many countries. Tell me whom you consider to be the happiest man living? "" The happiest man living I consider to be a certain poor man who lives in Athens, " replied Solon.
"Why do you say that? " asked Cr?sus.
"Because, " replied Solon, "the man of whom I speak has worked hard all his life, has been content with little, has reared fine children, has served his city honourably, and has achieveda noble reputation. "
When Cr?sus heard this he exclaimed :
" And do you reckon that I am not fit to be compared withthe man of whom you speak? "
To which Solon replied, " Often it befalls that a poor man is happier than a rich man. Call no man happy until he is dead. "The king dismissed Solon, for he was not pleased at his words. "A fig for melancholy! " he thought. "While a man lives he should live for pleasure. " So he forgot about Solon entirely.
Not long afterwards, one of the king"s sons died. Next, it was told to Cr?sus that the Emperor Cyrus was coming to make war upon him.
So Cr?sus went out against Cyrus with a great army; but the enemy won the battle, shattered the forces of Cr?sus, and penetrated to the capital.
Then the foreign soldiers began to sack and fire the city. One soldier seized Cr?sus himself, and was just about to stab him, when his son darted forward and cried aloud, " Do not touch him! That is Cr?sus, the king ! "So the soldiers carried Cr?sus away to the Emperor; but Cyrus was celebrating his victory at a banquet, and could not speak with the captive, so orders were sent out for Cr?sus to be executed.
In the middle of the city square the soldiers built a great burning-pile, and upon the top of it they placed King Cr?sus.
Cr?sus gazed around him, remembered the words of theGreek philosopher, and, bursting into tears, could only say, "Ah,Solon, Solon! "
The soldiers were closing in about the pile when the Emperor Cyrus arrived to view the execution. As he did so, he caught these words uttered by Cr?sus, but could not understand them. So he commanded Cr?sus to be taken from the pile, and inquired of him what he had just said.