n assassins share her favors; so that, if we are going to enjoy
the feast that history offers us, we must not inquire too closely into
the characters of the men whom she makes heroes of. We find, when we
come to look into the matter, that but few of those who figured as the
great men of the world have been entirely unselfish; and unselfishness
is the test of a man who is really good and great. Judged by this test,
General Oglethorpe stands among the greatest men known to history.

He had served in the army with distinction, as his father had before
him. He was on the staff of the great soldier Eugene of Savoy, and
under that commander made himself conspicuous by his fidelity and
fearlessness. A story is told of him that is interesting, if not
characteristic. While serving under Eugene, he one day found himself
sitting at table with a prince of Wuertemberg. He was a beardless
youngster, and the prince thought to have some sport with him. Taking up
a glass of wine, the prince gave it a fillip, so that a little flew in
Oglethorpe's face. The young Englishman, looking straight at the prince,
and smiling, said, "My prince, that is only a part of the joke as the
English know it: I will show you the whole of it." With that he threw a
glassful of wine in the prince's face. An old general who sat by laughed
dryly, and remarked, "He did well, my prince: you began it."

[Illustration: Oglethorpe 028]

Born in 1689, Oglethorpe entered the English army when twenty-one years
of age. In 1714 he became captain lieutenant of the first troop of the
queen's guards. He shortly afterwards joined Eugene on the continent,
and remained with that soldier until the peace of 1718. On the death of
his brother, he succeeded to the family estate in England. In 1722 he
was elected to Parliament from Haslemere, county of Surrey, and
this borough he represented continuously for thirty-two years. His
parliamentary career was marked by wise prudence and consistency;
and his sympathies were warmly enlisted for the relief of unfortunate
soldiers, and in securing reform in the conduct of prisons. In this way
Oglethorpe became a philanthropist, and, without intending it, attracted
the attention of all England. Pope, the poet, eulogizes his "strong
benevolence of soul."

In that day and time, men were imprisoned for debt in England. The
law was brutal, and those who executed it were cruel. There was no
discrimination between fraud and misfortune. The man w