SOME HISTORIC "BAD SHOTS."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5739, 5 December 1896, Page 1

SOME HISTORIC "BAD SHOTS."

In these times of cheap vaticination and short-dated prophecies, it may not be amiss (say the Si James's Gazette) to cast a retrospective glance on a! few of the most monumental mistakes ever achieved in this line. Here are a few of these famous contributions to the history of human error : — (1) Aristotle said that slavery would last for ever, or would cease only when .the shuttle would weave of its own accord. A double mistake this ; for shivery is all but abolished, and, thanks to invention, the shuttle may be said to work of its own accord. (2) "Before fifty years are over all Europe will be Eepublican or Cossack," prophesied the exile of St Helena in the first decades of this century. Wo are nearing now its fag-end, but " old Yurrup " is le&s Republican than evei*, and is still some way from universal Cossackery. (3) " Italy is but a geographical expression, and will never be anything else," opined Prince Metternich, and just before his death lie saw what he considered Utopia on the point of becoming a reality. (4) " The railways will never be of any use for the transport of goods," sang out M. Thiers, leading a chorus of sententious economists. (5) . " There is no morrow for Universal Stiffrage," exclaimed M. Guizot on the eve of the very revolution which sent him into exile and promulgated universal suffrage as' sovereign law. (6) " Nftver," was M. Rouher's answer to those asking after Mentana when Rome would become the capital of Italy. A very short time after the trick was done. (7) "The United States of Europe," was the prophecy of all ardent Democrats from Victor Hugo to Carlo Cattaneo, and its fulfilment was to take place immediately after the do-vraf,tdi : of the; Napoleonic Empire. It is twenty-five years now since that eventful moment, but the States of Europe are, if anything more, disunited and more aggressive than ever.