For many people, including the...
Illustration
For many people, including the people of Israel, knowing from whom you came is an important consideration. Sometimes people will go to extremes to establish their lineage. William Gladstone, the great English Prime Minister, discovered this quite unexpectedly when looking for antiques. He entered a dealer's shop and was soon captivated by an early 17th-century oil painting. It depicted an unidentified aristocrat dressed in old Spanish costume with a ruff, plumed hat and lace cuffs. Gladstone loved the artistry of the painting and wanted it badly. But he refused to pay the high asking price.
Sometime later, at the house of a rich London merchant, Gladstone discovered the same painting, now hanging in a prominent place. His host noticed how Gladstone had become absorbed in the piece of art. He approached and said, "You like it? It's a portrait of one of my ancestors, a minister at the Court of Queen Elizabeth."
Said Gladstone, "Three pounds less and he would have been my ancestor!"
Sometime later, at the house of a rich London merchant, Gladstone discovered the same painting, now hanging in a prominent place. His host noticed how Gladstone had become absorbed in the piece of art. He approached and said, "You like it? It's a portrait of one of my ancestors, a minister at the Court of Queen Elizabeth."
Said Gladstone, "Three pounds less and he would have been my ancestor!"
