صفحة 650 من 734

One can hardly suppose but that they would have done so if they

could, seeing that they could have bequeathed no more precious

legacy to their communities, nor would they have preferred, for

themselves or their dearest friends, the possession of any

faculty rather than this.

Practice, however, seems to contribute no little to its

acquisition; merely breathing the atmosphere of politics would

never have made Statesmen of them, and therefore we may conclude

that they who would acquire a knowledge of Statesmanship must

have in addition practice.