The Letter

Excerpt from a letter from a subscriber to Porter Stansberry's excellent Stansberry Research newsletter:

In the 1930s and early '40s, our family took the Saturday Evening Post and at the time, Garet Garrett was one of the editors who wrote a weekly series of short financial editorials. (Later published in book form as The People's Pottage.)

Shortly after 'Pearl Harbor' the editors of the Post wrote to famed historian, Charles Beard requesting that he do a series of articles about 'The Lessons of History.' A few weeks later on the editorial page, the Post published his reply (which, at approx. age 17, I have never forgotten).

Mr. Beard thanked the editors for thinking of him but replied that he had in the past given the subject a great deal of thought and decided that the Lessons of History could be contained in four short paragraphs which were written below, and permission granted for anyone to utilize as desired. They are:

1. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make mad with Power.

2. The Bee fertilizes the flower it robs.

3. The Mills of the Gods' grind slowly; Yet they grind exceedingly fine. And last, but not least;

4. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

–-Paid-up subscriber Frank

Porter then mentioned (after praising the letter) that

Garet Garrett – Edward Peter Garrett – is one of my heroes. Few people know his book The Driver served as a forerunner to Atlas Shrugged.

I certainly didn't know that, did you?