manly patriotism of the Premysls; however mistaken many of their methods and policies may have been. They will pervert Wenzel’s mind, but they will not instruct him.”
“Surely,” urged Kunigunde, “Wenzel’s royal descent will exhibit the qualities of his ancestors. Native proclivities, and race characteristics cannot be eradicated.”
“Royal birth and origin will do much,” replied Zawis, “but a mind left wholly uninstructed in facts must easily yield to superstitious fictions that only bear a semblance of reason. In such case natural tendencies can only give force to perverted sensibilities. Sound knowledge is denounced even now as the magic taught by the evil one. Such association with the malignant spirit is hurled at me as a reproach, and an appeal to the passions of the ignorant, by the new ecclesiasticism that is the chief agent employed to enslave us. We have, however, a bastioned fortress in my Witkowici adherents. Rudolph early discovered the local power of that family alliance, and partly succeeded in detaching it from Otakar. His intrigues in that quarter, and his treacherous wiles to undermine Otakar’s legitimate authority provoked the king’s manly indignation. My strong policy must be to combine all this native strength in favor of Bohemian unity. If I succeed, we may be wounded, but Bohemia will survive. ‘Melius mori quam videre patriam mori.” After a pause Zawis added, “It is now time for Witek to report. Hourly precaution must not be neglected.” A messenger
