Page:Anti-slavery and reform papers by Thoreau, Henry David.djvu/100

 The Last Days of JoJin Broivji, 89 oae worthy o^ fre^ men ; while the learning of trades and professions by which to get your livehhood merely was considered worthy of slaves only. But taking a hint from the word, I would go a step further, and say, that it is not the man of wealth and leisure simply, though devoted to art, or science, or literature, who, in a true sense, is Uheralhj educated, but only the earnest and free mau. In a slaveholdiug country like this, there can be no such thing as a liberal education tolerated by the !/ State ; and those scholars of Austria and France who, however learned they may be, are contented under their tyrannies, have received only a servile education.

Nothing could his enemies do, but it redounded to his infinite advantaore — that is, to the advantag^e of his cause.

They did not hang him at once, but reserved 'him to preacli to them. And then there was another great blunder. They did not hang his four followers with him; that scene was still postponed ; and so his victory was prolonged and completed. No theatrical manager could have arranged things so wisely to give effect to his behavior and words. And who, think you, icas the manager ? Who placed the slave-woman and her child, whom he stooped to kiss for a symbol, between his prison and the gallows ? We soon saw, as he saw, that he was not to be pardoned or rescued by men. That would have been to disarm him, to restore him to a material weapon, a Sharpens rifle, when he had taken up the sword of the spirit — the sword with which he has really won his greatest and most memorable victories. Now he has not laid aside the sword of the spirit, for he is pure spirit himself, and his sword is pure spirit also.