"Some old gentlemen who lived in learned times a great while ago, are very pressing in their desires to be acquainted with me — one Plato, one Thucydides, and one Mr. Tacitus, for instance."
"You'll see enough of them, Governor; — you don't like them better than me, do you?"
"Yes, Bob, — I expect they'll do more for me than ever you will."
"I'll do a great deal for you, Governor, — I want you to come with me to Coldstream — I want you to see them all at home; we'll have a good time. — Come!" —
"How do you suppose that old heathen ever got hold of such a thought as this?" — said Winthrop composedly; and he read, without minding his auditors —
"tis d'oiden, ei to zên men êi to katthanein, to katthanein de zên ;" * [* Bunyan used to say, "The Latin I borrow." I must follow so illustrious an example and confess, The Greek is lent.] "Who knows if to live is not to die, and dying but to live."
"I should think he had a bad time in this world," said Bob; "and maybe he thought Apollo would make interest for his verses in the land of shades."
"But Plato echoes the sentiment, — look here, — and he was no believer in the old system. Where do you suppose he got his light on the subject?"
"Out of a dark lantern. I say, Winthrop, I want light on my subject — Will you come to Coldstream?"
"I don't see any light that way, Bob; — I must stick fast by my dark lantern."