ed by better sentiments, why, then, do not these latter unite to
put an end to the evil? As to those men of affairs, in particular they
have passed through your schools--you say so yourselves. Why, then,
did you not at least make use of this transit of theirs to inspire in
them some silent respect for learning, and especially to break betimes
the self-conceit of the young aristocrat and to show him that
birth and station are of no assistance in the realm of thought? If,
perchance, even at that time you flattered him and exalted him unduly,
now endure that for which you yourselves are responsible.

These addresses desire to excuse you on the supposition that you had
not grasped the importance of your occupation; they adjure you that,
from this hour, you make yourselves acquainted with this importance,
and that you no longer ply your occupation as a mere trade. Learn to
respect yourselves, and by your actions show that you do so, and the
world will respect you. You will give the first proof of this through
the amount of influence which you assume in regard to the resolution
that is proposed, and through the manner in which you conduct
yourselves regarding it.

These addresses adjure you, princes of Germany! Those who act toward
you as though no man dared say aught to you, or had aught to say, are
despicable flatterers, are base slanderers of you yourselves. Drive
them far from you! The truth is that you were born exactly as ignorant
as all the rest of us, and that, exactly like ourselves, you must hear
and learn if you are to escape from this natural ignorance. Your share
in bringing about the fate which has befallen you simultaneously with
your peoples is here set forth in the mildest way and, as we believe,
in the way which is alone right and just; and in case you wish to
hear only flattery, and never the truth, you cannot complain regarding
these addresses. Let all this be forgotten, even as all the rest of us
also desire that our share in the guilt may be forgotten. Now begins
a new life as well for yourselves as for all of us. May this voice
penetrate to you through all the surroundings which normally make you
inaccessible! With proud self-reliance it dares to say to you: You
rule nations, faithful, plastic, and worthy of good fortune, such as
princes of no time and of no nation have ruled. They have a feeling
for freedom and are capable of it; but, because you so willed, they
have followed you into sanguinary war a