[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SP1CT ATOP:7 SIR,—A propos
of "Pro Patritt's " letter concerning "British Heroes" in your issue of October 16th, I must confess that I quite fail to see his reason for indulging in "grief and shame" because . he can only find one instance that satisfies such ridiculous conditions. Indeed, a glance at the "stock "—if I may use the word—examples of bravery and heroes in the world's history—from the Spartans at Thermopylae to the attempts to save the guns at Colense—shows that not one complies with these conditions. How can a man know for certain that in the performance of a gallant deed he must be killed ? Without second-sight such a feat is impossible. Luck, lack of skill on the part of the enemy, or both combined; have often saved a gallant life performing an apparently fatal act of bravery. Why, then, should he be excluded from a class of men less fortunate, but not necessarily braver, where bravery and patriotism are concerned P—I am, Sir, &c.,
C.
Previous page
