"I'm quite fully aware that the whole tendency of the world of to-day is against Nicaragua and against me.

I shall not consider it any diminution of your evident courtesy if you say what you think of the misfortunes that have laid my republic in ruins." Barker looked immeasurably relieved and gratified.
"You are most generous, President," he said, with some hesitation over the title, "and I will take advantage of your generosity to express the doubts which, I must confess, we moderns have about such things as--er--the Nicaraguan independence." "So your sympathies are," said Del Fuego, quite calmly, "with the big nation which--" "Pardon me, pardon me, President," said Barker, warmly; "my sympathies are with no nation.

You misunderstand, I think, the modern intellect.
We do not disapprove of the fire and extravagance of such commonwealths as yours only to become more extravagant on a larger scale.

We do not condemn Nicaragua because we think Britain ought to be more Nicaraguan.

We do not discourage small nationalities because we wish large nationalities to have all their smallness, all their uniformity of outlook, all their exaggeration of spirit.