en have the
satisfaction of doing justice; for, whether a cause be just or not,
his ministers will take care that the decision shall be according to
their own interests.

"'Then he is allowed a short time for bathing, dressing, and dining;
if, indeed, the poor wretch can venture to dine, with the constant
fear of poison in his mind.

"'After this he must remain a long time in council with his ministers,
perplexed with their conflicting arguments, and unable to understand
even the half of them; while they, pretending to act impartially, get
everything settled as they had previously agreed and by twisting and
distorting the reports of spies and emissaries, manage to serve
themselves and their friends, and to get credit for putting down
disturbances which they themselves had excited.

"'He is now allowed to take a little amusement, but the time for this
is restricted to an hour and a half.

"'Then he must review his army; hear the reports of the commander of
his forces; give orders for peace or war; and act upon the accounts
brought by spies and emissaries.

"'However weary he maybe with all this, he must sit down and read
diligently, like some poor student, for several hours. Then at last he
may retire to rest; but before he has had half enough sleep, he will
be awaked in the early morning; and the priests will come to him, and
say: "There is an unfavourable conjunction of the planets; evil omens
have appeared; there is danger impending; the gods must be
propitiated; let a great sacrifice be made to-day. The brahmans are
continually engaged in supplicating the gods on your behalf; your
prosperity is dependent on their prayers; they are miserably poor, and
have many children to support; let large donations be made." Thus the
greedy wretches, under the pretence of religion, are continually
robbing the king and enriching themselves.

"'This is the sort of life which you will have to lead, if you give
yourself up to the guidance of those greybeards; and, after all,
though you may have studied and studied, pored over their musty
volumes, and listened to their tedious lectures, you are not sure of
doing right.

"'And who are these fellows who set themselves up for wise men? Do
they always do right? Are they not often themselves cheated by the
unlearned? Common sense is far better than all this learning; instinct
and feeling will guide us in the right way; even an infant without
teaching finds out how to draw nourishme