Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 2.djvu/258

 398 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS As far as Count von Moltke's religious views could be ascertained, they were of a simple type, and characterized by a strict adherence to the path of duty and virtue. Daily was he accustomed to read his Bible, one of ancient date, its well- marked pages indicating how frequently its owner was in the habit of consulting its inspired pages. An extract from a letter the aged field-marshal wrote on the eve of his eightieth birthday is peculiarly interesting. " I stand," said he, " close upon the end of my life ; but how different from that here will be the measure in a future world according to which our earthly actions will be judged ! Not the brilliancy of success, but the purity of our endeavors and faithful perse- verance in duty, even when the result was scarcely visible, will decide as to the value of a man's life. What a wonderful displacement of high and low will be witnessed at that great review ! We do not even know ourselves what we have to ascribe to ourselves, to others, or to a higher will. It will be well not to set too great a value on externals." In a passage in one of his books, referring to our Lord's life here upon earth, he remarks: "His life was humble. He was the descendant of a people in bondage, and He had not a place where to lay His head. To the fishermen He talked in parables about God ; He healed the sick, and died the death of an evil-doer. And yet there has never been anything on this earth that could be purer, more elevated, and also even seen from the worldly point of view more successful than His conduct. His teaching, and His death." The old soldier's habits of life were, like those of the majority of really great men, extremely simple and singularly free from ostentation of any kind. Very characteristic of the late field-marshal are the following data of his life, written by himself on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday. An Austrian Association for the Promotion of Popular Knowledge addressed a number of interrogatories to various European celebrities of great age, which were to explain the circum- stances and conditions under which an exceptionally long life might be attained. The answers received were collected in a book and subsequently published. Field-Marshal von Moltke answered the questions submitted to him in his own peculiarly laconic manner, as follows : Q. In which year of your life and on which date did you begin to learn, and for how many hours a day ? A. 1808, in my eighth year, with four; after i8io, with ten hours a day. Q. Was your health in your youth delicate or robust ? A. Tough nature. Q. Did you grow up in the country or in town ? A. Up to my tenth year in the country. Q. How many hours did you spend in the open air ? Regularly ? A. Ir- /egularly, and but few hours. Q. Did you cultivate hardening games and other exercises ? A. Not me- thodically. Q. How many hours did you sleep in childhood ? A. Ten hours. Q. Special remarks? A. Joyless youth, scanty nourishment, absence from the paternal home.