In so
many laboratories are students putting questions to their microscope. In
so many lawyers' offices are clients putting questions to their
attorneys. In so many other offices are haggard men and women putting
questions to their doctors. But the number of all these is quite
insignificant when compared with the number of questions that are framed
every day in the schoolrooms of the world. Wherefore, I say, consider
the multiplication-table. A greater sum of human interest has centred
about the multiplication-table than about all doctors' and lawyers' and
biologists' offices since the beginning of time. Millions of
schoolmasters have asked what is seven times eleven and myriads of
children's brains have toiled for the answer that all the time has been
reposing in the teacher's mind. What is seven times eleven? What is the
capital of Dahomey? When did the Americans beat the British at
Lexington? What is the meaning of the universe? We shall never escape
the feeling that these questions are put only to vex us by those who
know the answer.
I said that I am looking forward to be summoned for jury-duty.
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