for wisdom.

"The people above-ground are exceedingly pious, and extraordinarily
zealous in praying. Their prayers, however, do not arise from the
impulses and emotions of their hearts; but are subdued to mere matters
of form, directed by bells, clocks or sun-dials. Their devotion is
entirely mechanical, founded on external signs and old customs rather
than in sincere feeling.

"When I came to Italy, I fancied myself master over the whole country;
for every one called himself my slave. I took a notion to test the
extent of this humble obedience, and commanded my landlord to lend me
his wife for a night; he became very angry, however, at this, and
ordered me out of his house.

"In the north, there are many people who seek with great pains to obtain
titles of offices which they do not hold; and many lose their reason in
their eagerness to be on the right side. Furthermore,"

* * * * *

Here I lost my patience. Inflamed to the utmost fury, I threw the book
on the ground, and assured Tomopoloko, who was by me, that it was the
fiction of an unjust and choleric writer. When my first passion was
cooled, I reviewed my sentence, and finally concluded that the author
of these travels, although unfair and untrue in many particulars, had
nevertheless made some good points and happy reflections.

I will now return to civil affairs. All our neighbors had kept very
quiet for a long period, and during this peace I made every effort to
constitute the government according to my own notions, and strengthen
the army in numbers and efficiency.

Suddenly, we received information that three warlike and formidable
nations, namely, the Arctonians, Kispusiananians and Alectorians, had
united against the Quamites. The first named were bears gifted with
reason and speech. The Kispusiananians were a nation of large cats
celebrated for their cunning and ferocity. The Alectorians were cocks,
armed with bows and arrows. These arrows with poisoned tips, were cast
with wonderful precision, and their least touch was fatal.

These three nations had been irritated by the uncommon progress of the
Quamites as well as by the fall of the Tanaquites. The allied powers
sent ambassadors to Quama, to demand the liberty of the imprisoned
Tanaquitians and the cession of their land, with power to declare war
should the same be denied. By my advice, they were immediately dismissed
with the following answer: "Since the Tanaquitia