THE NOBLEMAN AND THE PEASANT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 126, 27 May 1880, Page 4

THE NOBLEMAN AND THE PEASANT.

"./Egles," in the " Australasian," says ; — My friend Mr Folingsby, the painter, has translated for me a letter written by the veteran Von Moltke to a working man living in a village near Liebstadt, and which letter has cot, I think, appeared in English journals. This poor peasant had written to the hero of bo many battle-fields, asking him to use his influence with the. Emperor to reduce the army of Germany. Busily occupied as the great typical modern soldier must be, he did not neglect to reply to his bumble correspondent, and wrote thus: — "Honored sir, —■Who would not wish from the bottom of his heart to see lightened the heavy burden of. our armies, which Germany is obliged to maintain from her geographical position in the midst of such powerful neighbors? Neither the rulers nor their administrations ignore these facts. But mere fortunate circumstances are only possible when all nations arrive at the conclusion that every war, even though crowned with viotcry, is a great national misfortune. To bring about this conviction is beyond the power even of our Emperor, and it can only be brought about through a higher moral and religious education of the whole world, the fruit of hundreds of years of development and progress in the world's history, which we both shall not live to see. With friendly compliments — Moltke. Berlin, Feb. 28." The letter ia interesting in more than one respect:— (l) The warrior's conviction that even victorious war is a misfortune ; (2) the feudal faith shown in the reluctance to admit that there is one thing beyond the power "even of our Emperor;" and (3) the noble courtesy displayed towards the simple countryman who had in good faith and with confidence invokedjb is aid .