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business habits； which made their noblest men not ashamed to go on
voyages of merchandise。 Nor is it； again； that grim humourhumour as
of the modern Scotchwhich so often flashes out into an actual jest； but
more usually underlies unspoken all their deeds。 Is it not rather that these
men are our forefathers？ that their blood runs in the veins of perhaps three
men out of four in any general assembly； whether in America or in Britain？
Startling as the assertion may be； I believe it to be strictly true。
Be that as it may； I cannot read the stories of your western men； the
writings of Bret Harte； or Colonel John Hay； for instance； without feeling
at every turn that there are the old Norse alive again； beyond the very
ocean which they first crossed； 850 years ago。
Let me try to prove my point； and end with a story； as I began with
one。
It is just thirty years before the Norman conquest of England； the
evening of the battle of Sticklestead。 St。 Olaf's corpse is still lying
unburied on the hillside。 The reforming and Christian king has fallen in
the attempt to force Christianity and despotism on the Conservative and
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half…heathen partythe free bonders or yeoman… farmers of Norway。
Thormod； his poetthe man； as his name means； of thunder moodwho
has been standing in the ranks； at last has an arrow in his left side。 He
breaks off the shaft； and thus sore wounded goes up； when all is lost； to a
farm where is a great barn full of wounded。 One Kimbe es； a man
out of the opposite or bonder part。 〃There is great howling and
screaming in there；〃 he says。 〃King Olaf's men fought bravely enough：
but it is a shame brisk young lads cannot bear their wounds。 On what
side wert thou in the fight？〃 〃On the best side；〃 says the beaten Thormod。
Kimbe sees that Thormod has a good bracelet on his arm。 〃Thou art
surely a king's man。 Give me thy gold ring and I will hide thee； ere the
bonders kill thee。〃
Thormod said； 〃Take it； if thou canst get it。 I have lost that which is
worth more；〃 and he stretched out his left hand； and Kimbe tried to take it。
But Thormod； swinging his sword； cut off his hand； and it is said Kimbe
behaved no better over his wound than those he had been blaming。
Then Thormod went into the barn； and after he had sung his song there
in praise of his dead king； he went into an inner room； where was a fire；
and water warming； and a handsome girl binding up men's wounds。 And
he sat down by the door； and one said to him； 〃Why art thou so dead pale？
Why dost thou not call for the leech？〃 Then sung Thormod：
〃I am not blooming； and the fair And slender maiden loves to care
For blooming youths。 Few care for me； With Fenri's gold meal I can't
fee；〃
and so forth； improvising after the old Norse fashion。 Then
Thormod got up and went to the fire； and stood and warmed himself。
And the nurse…girl said to him； 〃Go out； man； and bring some of the split…
firewood which lies outside the door。〃 He went out and brought an
armful of wood and threw it down。 Then the nurse…girl looked him in the
face； and said； 〃Dreadful pale is this man。 Why art thou so？〃 Then sang
Thormod：
〃Thou wonderest； sweet bloom； at me； A man so hideous to see。 The
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arrow…drift o'ertook me； girl； A fine…ground arrow in the whirl Went
through me； and I feel the dart Sits； lovely lass； too near my heart。〃
The girl said； 〃Let me see thy wound。〃 Then Thormod sat down；
and the girl saw his wounds； and that which was in his side； and saw that
there was a piece of iron in it； but could not tell where it had gone。 In a
stone pot she had leeks and other herbs； and boiled them； and gave the
wounded man of it to eat。 But Thormod said； 〃Take it away； I have no
appetite now for my broth。〃 Then she took a great pair of tongs and tried
to pull out the iron； but the wound was swelled； and there was too little to
lay hold of。 Now said Thormod； 〃Cut in so deep that thou canst get at the
iron； and give me the tongs。〃 She did as he said。 Then took Thormod
the gold bracelet off his hand and gave it the nurse…girl； and bade her do
with it what she liked。
〃It is a good man's gift；〃 said he。 〃King Olaf gave me the ring this
morning。〃
Then Thormod took the tongs and pulled the iron out。 But on the
iron was a barb； on which hung flesh from the heart； some red； some white。
When he saw that； he said； 〃The king has fed us well。 I am fat； even to
the heart's roots。〃 And so leant back and was dead。
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CYRUS； THE SERVANT OF…THE
LORD ｛4｝
I wish to speak to you to…night about one of those old despotic empires
which were in every case the earliest known form of civilisation。 Were I
minded to play the cynic or the mountebank； I should choose some corrupt
and effete despotism； already grown weak and ridiculous by its decayas
did at last the Roman and then the Byzantine Empireand； after raising a
laugh at the expense of the old system say： See what a superior people
you are nowhow impossible； under free and enlightened institutions； is
anything so base and so absurd as went on； even in despotic France before
the Revolution of 1793。 Well； that would be on the whole true； thank
God； but what need is there to say it？
Let us keep our scorn for our own weaknesses； our blame for our own
sins； certain that we shall gain more instruction； though not more
amusement； by hunting out the good which is in anything than by hunting
out its evil。 I have chosen； not the worst； but the best despotism which I
could find in history； founded and ruled by a truly heroic personage； one
whose name has bee a proverb and a legend； that so I might lift up
your minds； even by the contemplation of an old Eastern empire； to see
that it； too； could be a work and ordinance of God； and its hero the servant
of the Lord。 For we are almost bound to call Cyrus； the founder of the
Persian Empire； by this august title for two reasonsFirst； because the
Hebrew Scriptures call him so； the next； because he proved himself to be
such by his actions and their consequencesat least in the eyes of those
who believe； as I do； in a far…seeing and far… reaching Providence； by
which all human history is
Bound by gold chains unto the throne of God。
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His work was very different from any that need be done； or can be
done； in these our days。 But while we thank God that such work is now
as unnecessary as impossible； we may thank God likewise that； when such
work was necessary and possible； a man was raised up to do it： and to
do it； as all accounts assert； better； perhaps； than it had ever been done
before or since。
True； the old conquerors； who absorbed nation after nation； tribe after
tribe； and founded empires on their ruins； are now； I trust； about to be
replaced； throughout the world； as here and in Britain at home； by free
self…governed peoples：
The old order changeth； giving place to the new； And God fulfils
Himself in many ways； Lest one good custom should corrupt the world。
And that custom of conquest and empire and transplantation did more
than once corrupt the world。 And yet in it； too； God may have more than
once fulfilled His own designs； as He did； if Scripture is to be believed； in
Cyrus； well surnamed the Great； the founder of the Persian Empire some
2400 years ago。 For these empires； it must be remembered； did at least
that which the Roman Empire did among a scattered number of savage
tribes； or separate little races； hating and murdering each other； speaking
different tongues； and worshipping different gods； and losing utterly the
sense of a mon humanity； till they looked on the people who dwelt in
the next valley as fiends； to be sacrificed； if caught； to their own fiends at
home。 Among such as these； empires did introduce order； law； mon
speech； mon interest； the notion of nationality and humanity。 They；
as it were； hammered together the fragments of the human race till they
had moulded them into one。 They did it cruelly； clumsily； ill： but was
there ever work done on earth； however noble； which was notalas； alas！
done somewhat ill？
Let me talk to you a little about the old hero。 He and his hardy
Persians should be specially interesting to us。 For in them first does our
race； the Aryan race； appear in authentic history。 In them first did our
race give promise of being the conquering and civilising race of the future
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world。 And to the conquests of Cyrus… …so strangely are all great times
and great movements of the human family linked to each otherto his
conquests； humanly speaking； is owing the fact that you are here； and I am
speaking to you at this moment。
It is an oft…told story： but so grand a one that I must sketch it for
you； however clumsily； once more。
In that mountain province called Farsistan； north…east of what we now
call Persia； the dwelling…place of the Persians； there dwelt； in the sixth and
seventh centuries before Christ； a hardy tribe； of the purest blood of Iran； a
branch of the same race as the Celtic； Teutonic； Greek； and Hindoo； and
speaking a tongue akin to theirs。 They had wandered thither； say their
legends； out of the far north… east； from off some lofty plateau of Central
Asia； driven out by the increasing cold； which left them but two mouths of
summer to ten of winter。
They despised at firstwould that they had despised always！the
luxurious life of the dwellers in the plains； and the effeminate customs of
the Medesa branch of their own race who had conquered and
intermarried with the Turanian； or Finnish tribes； and adopted much of
their creed； as well as of their morals； throughout their vast but short…lived
Median Empire。 〃Soft countries；〃 said Cyrus himselfso runs the tale
〃gave birth to small men。 No region produced at once delightful fruits
and men of a war…l