They are few in the midst of an overwhelming mass of brute

George Combe, philosopher of mind and morals, utters these measured words: “They are few in the midst of an overwhelming mass of brute force, and their submission is wisdom; but for a nation like England to submit to be robbed by any invader who chooses to visit her shores seemed to me to be nonsense.” In this declaration he unveils the paradox of submission and resistance: when the weak are hopelessly outnumbered, to yield may be the truest form of wisdom; but for the strong to surrender what they can defend is folly, and worse, dishonor.

The meaning is clear. Wisdom is not blind courage, nor is it cowardice. It is the discernment of when to bow and when to stand. A small band facing overwhelming force may preserve life by submitting, for defiance in such a moment would mean annihilation. Yet for a powerful nation—rich in resources, mighty in arms—to yield without necessity is not prudence but weakness disguised as reason. Combe teaches that context is everything: wisdom is never mere submission or resistance, but the right choice in the face of circumstance.

History gives us vivid examples. Consider the fate of the Spartans at Thermopylae. They were but few against the vast armies of Persia, yet they chose resistance, not because they expected victory, but because their stand would rouse Greece to unity. Their refusal to submit became a torch of inspiration. Yet contrast this with weaker peoples throughout history, who, when faced with conquerors too vast to resist, chose submission for survival. Their decision, though born of necessity, was not cowardice but pragmatic wisdom.

Combe directs his words to England, a nation not among the weak, but strong and fortified. For such a land to bow without a fight, to yield to invaders without testing her strength, would be “nonsense”—a betrayal of her power and a denial of her duty to defend her people. His words echo the call that nations must know themselves: when strong, to stand; when weak, to endure and preserve.

Therefore, let the seeker of truth remember: wisdom is not found in rigid formulas, but in discernment. To yield when weak is survival; to resist when strong is honor. The fool confuses prudence with cowardice, or courage with recklessness. But the wise discern the season, and in discerning, they save both life and dignity. Combe’s lesson is timeless: that strength unused invites plunder, and submission without necessity is not wisdom, but folly.