at least and your friend here would desire, it may become my duty to accept the lot of sharing with my brethren the evil of the present, as I and my ancestors have shared with them the glories of the past.”
“Permit me now in turn,” observed Solomon, “to request of your highness some illumination in regard to the countries immediately before us. I would ascertain, if possible, if there be favorable reasons for searching among the Lech, and Tchekh an asylum of retreat from the remorseless inhumanities that are destroying us. We would willingly surrender dignities to our persecutors. We seek but a habitation and an industry. Even these primary necessities are denied us. Your brethren and mine, highness, have always dwelt together in amity, and the Christians within our borders enjoyed our aid and sympathy, and all the benefit that our science, our commerce, and our progress could confer. To their credit be it said,they dwelt with us in harmony and brotherly security. Even their bishops participated in our studies, adopted our sentiments, and lent their talents to the development of our intellectual life. But the lust of Roman conquest has assumed new weapons,and nourishes itself with the blood of its victims. Old Rome aimed to transform; new Rome thirsts only to destroy.”
“Should the purposes of your journey detain you long, or conduct you far into these countries,” said Don Abraham, “your observation may in part, at least, correct the views I must express in reply to
