re 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 perseverance 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
circumstances 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 1810, with ten hours a day.

_Q._ Was your hea