"He'S a Brick."

Plutarch, in his life of Lycurgus, is authority for the quaint expression, "He's a Brick." The Spartans, or Lacedaemonians had a force or poignancy of expression which cut down all the flower of studied elegance. They were trained to speak concisely, and encouraged in repartee. Our English word laconic is derived from the Lacones or Spartans, and implies that much is expressed in few words. Lycurgus himself was short and sententious in his discourse. When asked why he had made so few laws he answered, "To men of few words few laws are sufficient." When asked how they could best guard against the invasion of an enemy he replied, "By continuing poor;" and to the question, whether they should enclose Sparta with walls, "That city is well fortified, which has a wall of men instead of brick." This is probably the foundation for the story that on a certain occasion an ambassador from Epirus on a diplomatic mission, was shown by the king of Sparta over his capital. The ambassador, knowing that though nominally only king of Sparta, he was yet ruler of Greece, looked to see massive walls for the defence of the towns, but found none. He marveled much, and at last said to the king, "Sire, I have visited most of the towns but found no walls built for their defence. Why is this?" "Indeed!" replied the king, "Thou canst not have looked carefully! Come with me to-morrow, and I will show you the walls of Sparta." On the following morning the king led his guest out upon the plains where his army was drawn up in battle array, and pointing proudly to the serried host, he said, "There thou beholdest the walls of Sparta, and every man a brick!"