‘Yes,’ said Agathon, ‘it is certainly vast.’ ‘And rich in the wealth of its agriculture and minerals and so offering a fair field for endeavour and great rewards for enterprise and skill?’ ‘Assuredly,’ he said. ‘Then we must remember that the Americans are for the most part the descendants of those who left Europe as poor men. And this is true whether we are considering those original Americans of three hundred years ago, or those who went there within the last century, after the others had freed themselves from the tyrant George.’ ‘Was this George a heavy tyrant?’ asked Lysis, ‘for tyrant is a harsh name, and I have read that the English themselves were always well pleased with him.’ ‘I must confess,’ I said, ‘that he does not appeal much to me. Few men have less resembled the philosopher King. It is plain that reason was weak in his soul, and that he was narrow and obstinate and full of craftiness, and that the English only loved him as a check upon their lesser overlords and as the chief of their nation in their wars with the French, which continued all his reign. And though he did not actually oppress the Americans it was not of advantage to them to be his subjects, nor a thing to which they had of necessity to submit.’ Here Lysis looked up, and said: ‘Tell me, Socrates, do you think they regret it now, and that they will soon return to their allegiance to King George’s house, for an English lady told me that it would happen very quickly, the revolt having ended in the muddle America is in now.’ ‘That word “muddle” is a favourite with the English,’ said Agathon. ‘And rightly,’ said I, ‘since our words are to designate the things among which we live. I know it is a common view among the English that the Americans will abandon this attempt of theirs to found a new country, and that after this present President Coolidge they will not elect another, but will all pack up and return to the countries from which they originally came, regretting the increasingly disastrous experiment and going back meekly to their respective kings and rulers, and leaving America to the Red Indians and the Buffalos, whose political life runs more easily. But, for my part, I reject this opinion, and believe that the Americans will persevere.’ ‘I think so, too,’ said Agathon.