LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 2G3 



the means which I shall point out to you, because 

 of their simplicity. The world seldom attach much 

 value to things which are plain, and easily under- 

 stood ; only bestowing reverence on things which 

 they can by no means understand things com- 

 plicate, mysterious, and incomprehensible. But be 

 you wiser. The dervish, in the Eastern allegory, 

 well aware of this weakness, knew that it would be 

 in vain to recommend the sultan, for the cure of 

 his disease, simply to take exercise. He knew that 

 mankind in general require to be cheated, gulled, 

 cajoled, even into doing that which is to benefit 

 themselves. He did not, therefore, tell the sultan, 

 who consulted him, to take exercise ; but he said 

 to him, " Here is a ball, which I have stuffed with 

 certain rare, costly, and precious medicinal herbs." 

 (If they had not been costly and precious, the sultan 

 would have thought nothing of them.) " And here 

 is a bat, the handle of which I have also stuffed 

 with similar herbs. Your highness must take this 

 bat, and with it beat about this ball, until you 

 perspire very freely. You must do this every day." 

 His highness did so ; and, in a short time, the exer- 

 cise of playing at bat and ball with the dervish 

 cured his malady. 



Now, my dear John, this same EXERCISE which 



