ould never
have been accomplished had the land been the property of innumerable
small holders, each with his own petty interests."

"But you said, father, that it has not been for the good of the
people."

"Nor has it in one respect, Chebron, for it has drawn a wide chasm
between the aristocratic classes and the bulk of the people, who can
never own land, and have no stimulus to exertion."

"But they are wholly ignorant, father. They are peasants, and nothing
more."

"I think they might be something more, Chebron, under other
circumstances. However, that is not the question we are discussing.
This Joseph brought his family out of the land at the east of the
Great Sea, and land was given to them in Goshen, and they settled
there and throve and multiplied greatly. Partly because of the
remembrance of the services Joseph had rendered to the state, partly
because they were a kindred people, they were held in favor as long as
the shepherd kings ruled over us. But when Egypt rose and shook off
the yoke they had groaned under so long, and drove the shepherds and
their followers out of the land, this people--for they had now so
grown in numbers as to be in verity a people--remained behind, and
they have been naturally viewed with suspicion by us. They are akin to
our late oppressors, and lying as their land does to the east, they
could open the door to any fresh army of invasion.

"Happily, now that our conquests have spread so far, and the power of
the people eastward of the Great Sea has been completely broken, this
reason for distrust has died out, but Joseph's people are still viewed
unfavorably. Prejudices take long to die out among the masses, and the
manner in which these people cling together, marrying only among
themselves and keeping themselves apart from us, gives a certain
foundation for the dislike which exists. Personally, I think the
feeling is unfounded. They are industrious and hard-working, though
they are, I own, somewhat disposed to resist authority, and there is
more difficulty in obtaining the quota of men from Goshen for the
execution of public works than from any other of the provinces of
Egypt."

"Do they differ from us in appearance, father?"

"Considerably, Chebron. They are somewhat fairer than we are, their
noses are more aquiline, and they are physically stronger. They do not
shave their heads as we do, and they generally let the hair on their
faces grow. For a long time after their settl