Xjgi. mecdoie. 331 



ANECDOTE. 



The baron of Haegi was a gentleman of the territory of 

 Vinterthur In Switzerland j he was pofsefsed of several fiefs, 

 and had his castle near the city. This gentleman, who 

 lived about the year 1300, made agriculture his ordinary- 

 occupation. His plough was drawn by fine horses. Hi-; 

 son, who was a handsome young man, drove them with the 

 whip in his hand, while the father, with grey hairs, opened 

 the bosom of the earth, and traced the furrowS; A duke 

 of Austria, going on horseback from Rapperschweill to 

 Vinterthur, was surprised at the distinguiflicd air of the 

 labourers, and the beauty of their horses. He stopped, 

 and turning towards the grand master of his household : I 

 have never seen, said he, so handsome peasants, and horses- 

 so well fed, labour the fields. Do not be surprised at it, 

 my lord, replied that officer j these are the baron Hsegi 

 and his son.. There is the ancient castle of their family, at 

 the foot of the hill j and If you doubt it, you may convince 

 yourself of it to-morrow •, when you will see them come 

 and offer you their services. In fact, the next day, the 

 baron of Hagl, accompanied by seven of his people, all on 

 horseback, came to Vinterthur to pay his respects to the 

 duke, who did not fail to alk hjm if It was him he had 

 seen th« day before, following a plough superbly e- 

 quipped. Yes, my lord, replied the baron with dig- 

 nity J after a war for the defence of one's country, I 

 think there is no occupation more worthy of a gentle- 

 man than that of cultivating his own lands, and I give 

 the example of it to my son. The duke could not 

 but admire the old man ; he gave him the m^st flattering 

 reception, and loaded his son with carcfses. The anci- 

 ents had the same idea of agriculture ; omnium rerum ex 

 quihus aliquid exqueriiur^ nihil est ogritiillura melius^ uke^ 

 rius^ bomine I.bero dignius. 



