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Show fIJ'Flltt‘L'S of undeserved sitflerings,the deepest that in view 0 her limitless and aarh hour nt prese the in that and .""Jiiiiiian nature will be stirred to an infinite pity, is not more,important that the it that see will d worl , of her utmost need the stricken befoundjor tlic‘qu/ics fill her material succour offood and clothing should solace should be opt‘i‘cil to their and ort comf that than e and impoverished peopl d some of the world s gratitude unite the as souls. Therefore this boole is published its sympathy with her in the of and sm, heroi ed ampl unex her to Belgium for me duty which Destiny laid subli the ng uirgi discl heavy price she has to pay in . I all. of upon her of fighting by our side for the liberties ess i/seh, as addr ld shou me volu nt prese the that ded inten Especially it has been his first moving appeal far as possible, to the King of the Belgians, who, from gigantic and unconthe t resis to him help to ce, Fran to and in to Great Brita ry, down to the count his over stalk g to arin scionable ambition which was prep Antwerp, has by his of esses fortr d the behin stand less daunt his of y agon last e he malees common matchless courage in Council and on the battlefield, wher noblest energies at the of some cause with his soldiers in the trenches, displayed Kings/tip which. of tions st tradi highe those ined susta and cter, the human chara e. thron among free nations, unite the people to the in Such is the aim and character of this book, and if so high an object has been d arte coe-he whol y and read the by been only some measure achieved, it has inent operation of the leaders of thought, of art and of action who are prom many e are Ther dom. free ce and justi of love their d for throughout the worl thousands of such leaders in every country, fully capable of interpreting, each in his or her own way, the immense emotion which now fills the heart of humanity at the spectacle of Belgium's sorrows ; but the exigencies of space in a single volume have made it necessary to limit the number of contributors whom it has been possible to invite to join in this world's tribute to the martyr nation. With the utmost care, and not without many misgivings about illustrious names which well merited inclusion, a list was compiled of princes, statesmen, churchmen, authors, artists, and composers of all civilised countries, except the countries of our enemies, in the hope that each in his own medium, whether of word or picture or song or story, might be impelled, according as the spirit moved him, to present his view of Belgium's sacrifice and of the measureless calamity which has befallen her. The result is now ofiered to the public in the present volume, which it is hoped to publish in various editions, and as nearly as possible simultaneously, in most of the countries of the authors, especially France, Russia, Italy, and America, thus maleing it a war/c of international interest, calculated to be a moral inspiration to posterity and to take its place as one of the luminous pages in the world's history. Never before, perhaps, have so many illustrious names been inscribed within thecovers of a single volume, but KING ALBER T'S BOOK has a significance which even transcends its distinction. Out of the storm of battle a great new spirit of. brotherhood has been born into the world, calling together the scattered grid divided parts of it, uniting them in a single mind, a single sentiment, a single purpose, so that here, in love of justice and in hatred of oppression, speaking in many vorces and many tongues but from only one soul, which enkindles the earth as with a holy fire, men and women of all civilised countries have drawn closer and clasped hands. Nor is that everything. In sight and witness of this World-league of some of the spiritual leaders of mankind, who labour for and live by peace, and in memory of this Covenant of princes, statesmen, soldiers, sailors, teachers, preachers and artists of the great and historic races, signed on the desecrated altar of a ,little nation's liberty, is it too much to hope that the peoples they represent may never again, from any narrower or less noble aims, draw the sword against each other as long as the world may last I? So be it. God grant so may it be. But meantime it is perhaps enougli that as sons and daughters of many lands sufferers ourselves by a fratricidal war, we should bring to Belgium, in this solemn moment when her heart is cruelly and almost incurably wounded, the expression of our love, our sympathy, and our unbounded admiration, as the spiritual message of the civilised world to the suflering millions of her people, in the midst of the ruin and desolation which still lie heavy upon her even at this sacred Season when the holiest aspirations of humanity are towards peace on earth and good-will to men. Belgians, in the person of your heroic young Sovereign we salute you. The statesmanship, the learning, the wisdom, the genius of the world lay their tribute at your feet. HALL CAINE |