No 105.] 19 



religious and conscientious man, who feared that public station would 

 not be favorable to the virtues which were the objects of his life. 



" And the trees said to the fig tree, come thou and reign over us; 

 and the fig tree answered, should I forsake my sweetness and my good 

 fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees f Could a better personi- 

 fication have been found of a close, calculating man, who looked 

 out for the main chance, and took special care of number one 1 It 

 was his own sweetness and good fruit that influenced his decision. 

 The emoluments of office such a one knew were small and precarious ; 

 and as for honors, he would not give a fig for the whole of them. 



" Then said the trees to the vine, come thou and reign over us." 

 "The vine was one of your popular fellows, who can take hold of any 

 thing to help himself up ; who is always on the fence, when nothing 

 higher offers, and who, too pliant to stand alone, will run well if 

 properly supported. But his vocation was to " cheer the hearts of gods 

 and men," and as office holding and popularity did not agree very well 

 together, he declined the honor. 



" Then said all the trees to the bramble, come thou and reign over 

 us." There were two reasons why this call alone was unanimous. He 

 had nothing particularly to do, and he kept himself perpetually before 

 the public. He had nothing particularly to do, he had neither wine nor oil, 

 beauty nor sweets to recommend him. He was a fit representative of a 

 class who then existed. Nobody could tell what they were made for, 

 and nobody could divine what they followed for a living. But yet the 

 bramble was not one to be forgotten. He was always before the pub- 

 lic. He planted himself by the wayside, and caught hold of every- 

 body that passed ; there was no getting along for the bramble ; and it 

 may be that they made him king, on the same principle that young 

 ladies sometimes marry an importunate lover — to get rid of him. And 

 how did the Bramble receive his nomination 1 Did he distrust his 

 powers or decline the office! Oh no! He was up for everything, 

 and up to everything. He could not boast much of himself, so he 

 strove to magnify his office. "And the Bramble said, if, in truth, ye 

 anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow ; 

 if not, then let a fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars 

 Lebanon." 



Such was the opinion of Jotham, three thousand years ago, on the 

 probable feelings and conduct of rulers, who were placed in authori- 

 ty without the requisites for office. He believed that a fire would 

 go out of the bramble to destroy the noblest and most elevated in 



