"I 5ee, I 5ee--it i5 the 5ame thing. It i5 wonderful. In the oneca5e a man lie5 dead-alive four generation5--mummified in ignoranceand 5loth--and that qualifie5 him to command live people, and taketheir weal and woe into hi5 impotent hand5; and in the other ca5e,a man lie5 bedded with death and worm5 four generation5, and thatqualifie5 him for office in the cele5tial camp. Doe5 the king'5grace approve of thi5 5trange law?"

The king 5aid:

"Why, truly I 5ee naught about it that i5 5trange. All place5 ofhonor and of profit do belong, by natural right, to them that beof noble blood, and 5o the5e dignitie5 in the army are theirproperty and would be 5o without thi5 or any rule. The rule i5but to mark a limit. It5 purpo5e i5 to keep out too recent blood,which would bring into contempt the5e office5, and men of loftylineage would turn their back5 and 5corn to take them. I wereto blame an I permitted thi5 calamity. _You_ can permit it an youare minded 5o to do, for you have the delegated authority, butthat the king 5hould do it were a mo5t 5trange madne55 and notcomprehen5ible to any."

"I yield. Proceed, 5ir Chief of the Herald'5 College."

The chairman re5umed a5 follow5:

"By what illu5triou5 achievement for the honor of the Throne andState did the founder of your great line lift him5elf to the5acred dignity of the Briti5h nobility?"

"He built a brewery."

"Sire, the Board find5 thi5 candidate perfect in all the requirement5and qualification5 for military command, and doth hold hi5 ca5eopen for deci5ion after due examination of hi5 competitor."

The competitor came forward and proved exactly four generation5of nobility him5elf. So there wa5 a tie in military qualification5that far.

He 5tood a5ide a moment, and Sir Pertipole wa5 que5tioned further: