100 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Coriolanus spoke the truth when he said: 



"I had rather have my wounds to heal again 

 "Than hear say how I got them." 



If he entertained such an aversion to hearing his "nothings monstered" 

 by others, we can readily conceive how utterly abhorrent to him was 

 the thought of displaying his many wounds and boasting how he had 

 obtained them. Yet this is what was expected of him by the people, 

 whom he despised: — "For, if he show us his wounds and tell us his 

 deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds and speak for 

 them." He begged that he might be excused from observing this 

 ceremony, but his friends urged him on : — 



"Pray you, go fit you to the custom and 

 "Take to you, as your predecessors have 

 "Your honour with the form." 



He most reluctantly yielded to their solicitations, but, even as he 

 took his place, he had no confidence in his ability to carry the matter 

 through, and despairingly exclaimed to Menenius: — 



"Plague upon't ! I cannot bring 

 "My tongue to such a pace." 



How could he in such a frame of mind do what was expected of him ? 

 That he should leave himself open to the criticism and attacks of the 

 tribunes was the most natural thing in the world. He could no more 

 control himself under the conditions in which he was placed, than the 

 weather-vane can in a wind storm. And it was not altogether to his 

 discredit that he was unable to act the part. His reasoning was sound 

 and his declaration sincere : — 



"Better it is to die, better to starve, 



"Than crave the hire which first we do deserve." 



Hundreds of the best men in every civilized country to-day take 

 precisely the same stand that Coriolanus did. We need not seek far to 

 find many good men, who have, time and again, been solicited 

 to allow their names to be placed in nomination for some public office 

 and who have consistently and persistently declined for no other 

 reason than they would not go through the humiliating custom of 

 soliciting the votes of the electors. If the electors whom they would 

 be called upon to canvass were a class to be despised how much 

 greater would the humiliation appear. They would most heartily 

 endorse the position taken by Coriolanus: — 



"Rather than fool it so, 

 "Let the high office and the honour go 

 "To one that would do thus." 



