your interrogation. The increasing feebleness of Constantinople, the decline of her elasticity of spirit as a result of the puerile investigations, dreamy disputes, and narrow tone of her literature, as well as the audacity and practical researches into real things which signalize her enemies from without, and the diversion of the attention of western Europe to the dreams of a new kingdom in Palestine, have enabled the ambition of Rome to direct men’s energies from the wise investigation of the world that encircles: and sustains us, to a vicious subjective gratification of the passion for power in the realm of superstitious mastery of one set of modern fancies over another set of fancies. This gratification being designedly mixed up with intoxicating dreams about an unseen world, where this same vicious subjective passion is expected to have an unlimited and eternal exercise, has stimulated men under crafty counsels to the madness of wanton destruction of tangible wealth and means of progress.”
“I observe with satisfaction that your highness has not forgotten the principles of Sora and Cordova,” observed Solomon.
“Permit me to proceed,” added Don Abraham. “This spirit has infected princes and emperors. Obedience to it has been made the price for the aid of the coarse multitude to those ambitious aspirants who would bow to Beelzebub for a throne or a principality. The multitude always favors the intoxication supplied by appeals to the imagination; and omits the investigation of details on which all pro-
