[Illustration: THE KING EMBRACED ME, AND I KISSED THE HAND OF HER
MAJESTY.]

"Atvatabar," said the king, "is a monarchy formed on the will of the
people. While the throne is inalienably secured to the king for life,
the government is vested in a legislative chamber, called Borodemy.
This legislative assembly is also our house of nobles, consisting of
one thousand members divided into three classes. To be once elected to
the Borodemy entitles the representative to receive the title of
Boiroon for life only; at the expiration of five years, the term of
each assembly, a member, if again elected, receives the title of
Jangoon; if again elected the highest title is Goiloor. No one can be
elected more than three times, and Goiloor is a title which but few
attain, owing to the limited number of legislators who are three times
elected to the Borodemy. The president of the assembly is always a
Goiloor, as only a member of the highest caste is nominated for the
presidency. He is also chief minister of state. His council, which is
the government, includes the chief officer of each branch of
government, as well as a royal representative. Thus Atvatabar is an
absolute democracy, ornamented and ruled by those men whom a generous
nation loves to honor for distinguished merit employed in the public
service."

CHAPTER XVI.

THE KING UNFOLDS THE GRANDEUR OF ATVATABAR.

"Your majesty," I said, "informs us that Atvatabar possesses science
and art, invention and poetry. These matters interest us quite as much
as your civil and military constitution. We will feel grateful if your
majesty will inform us more particularly regarding the condition of
those great forces for the development of the soul."

"You are right," said the king; "the government and the protection of
society, although matters of the utmost importance, are always much
inferior to the glory they defend. Mere police duties can never rank
with the sovereignty of mind over matter."

"In other words," said I, "the barricade is ever inferior to the
palace, and the treasure house to the heaps of gold within it. But,
your majesty, in what way does mind triumph over matter in your
realm?"

"Well," said the king, "we worship the human soul under a thousand
forms, arranged in three great circles of deities. The first circle
contains the gods of invention, that is, the practical forms by which
ideas rule the physical world, and also the composite forms of the
inventor