a a 
2 ar 
BOEKBESPREKING, 85 
still took several hundred years. The capital of the world, slowly 
gathered during generations, was being recklessly trenched upon.... 
Maladministration continued until ultimately it was found necessary 
to appoint the richest men in each community tax collectors and 
make them responsible for the deficit, thus reducing all to a 
common level of poverty;.... the inhabitants must produce, not 
for themselves but for the Treasury, which was above the law, so 
that finally the slave became free, not by being lifted into freedom, 
but by the virtual enslavement of the whole population”. 
Het boek is vol van oorspronkelijke epigrammen; enkele wil 
ik hier doen drukken: 
In no respect are men created equal. (p. 2). 
Great amounts of time and capital are wasted in the attempt 
to compel incapable minds to do impossible things (p. 3). 
Large numbers of the human race distrust and dislike intelli- 
gence (p. 13). 
Mediocrity prefers mediocrity (p. 13). 
The Egyptians were not a cruel race. True, captives were sacri- 
ficed to Ammon, but we must remember that less than a hundred 
years ago, a woman of education, breeding and culture in New 
England, when a little child was found committing sin, urged 
upon him the moral expediency of hewing Agag to pieces before 
the Lord” (p. 49). 
„Democracy always feels itself equal to any task and often lacks 
judgment in men” (p. 64). 
Democracy in Athens was just as apt to be carried away by its 
emotions, just as incapable of pursuing for years a determined and 
fixed policy, as the population of a democratic state to day” (p. 66). 
No one can pass to his child his own personal attainments (p. 67). 
The percentage of talent in Athens was larger than in England 
or America to day, but yet it was unable to leaven the mass and 
was lost in the ignorant vote (p. 70). 
The menace of mysticism threatened the freedom of Greek 
thought (p. 71). 
„Both scientific and religious movements have the same object 
— to solve the mystery of existence; but the religious craving 
demands a shorter road and immediate satisfaction” 
(quoted from Bury, History of Greece). 
