separately in zoology though contemporaneously, as in reptiles and birds. Is it so in the mental life? For example, is there not organization, intension, in respect to the moral sense, and a corresponding growth, expansion, in science? Both are needed for the future. The growth of one, the organization of the other, progressing together, apparently most diverse, are yet subservient to, and to be swallowed up in, a third.

Think, in respect to this as the morally dark age, of the story of Lady Godiva. Whether true or merely legendary, it shows how different that age was. Could we imagine such a thing done by a lady now? Not on account of the greater delicacy of modern feeling (which, indeed, is not proved), but that any lady should for a moment think such a sacrifice might be made. There must have been a totally different thought of life then. And how profoundly, consenting to that which is as a moral degradation, her act was like Christ's. She did that which scarcely the most degraded woman would do; for always the highest good seems only possible in that which might also be utter evil.

See how the "good" only the most utterly They do it, really and

And look at it another way. now do what, if seen differently, and profoundly selfish could do. truly, though not with equal clearness of apprehension, as Godiva did what only a shameless woman otherwise could do. Is not the parallel clear?

These people do not act thus with their eyes open. They are used for that purpose; and with the good meaning do the thing that were else utterly bad. And our indignation is right, remember; as his would have been who should have witnessed Godiva, not understanding.

Is it not sublime to see this? The thing needed is

done; sometimes consciously by us, sometimes not; but God takes care it is done.

And how glorious is the thought of this age subjecting us involuntarily to moral degradation; not sinfully, but by loss imposed upon us. It exactly parallels our life to

Christ's.

IX.

SOCIOLOGY.

Altruism as a basis for life-To obtain justice we must aim higherIs selfishness normal?-Society will take the place of Government-The function of social evil-The scientific laws of force as guides in political economy-Rightness of the Socialist feeling towards property-Parallel between capital and civil Government— Results that flow from the negative element in man-Disregard of the relations of things-Trade should be made a profession-The reductio ad absurdum in political economy-The truth and error in Socialism-The conditions of the success of Socialism— Criminals should be treated like lunatics-Human life and the training of children-The world was never worse than now-Men seek wrong ends-The life of society-The child-state of humanity -The value of good manners as showing the pattern for life-The end of civilization is a return to Nature-Life is in the sphere of good manners-Our life a suppression-Woman, like religion, needs to be liberated-The law of "anticipation" in history-The law of fulfilling the conditions must be applied to the practical life-The present age is one of "nutrition."

"EVERY man of common understanding will endeavour to employ whatever stock he can command, in procuring either present enjoyment or future profit. . . a man must be crazy who does not" (Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations). And yet how well it may be argued, not only by the nature of life and of man, but from facts and from experience, that a human life founded upon the altruistic element, and throughout regulated by it, is that which is to be. For see how much stronger that

altruistic power is; how it has been proved to be so. To take the other for a basis is to take the weaker. The self-element is not strong enough; it is seen not to be, in the presence of the other. That has made men, in all times and places, perform and bear what the other could not make them, and certainly never has approached.

And even in this alone, how beautiful it is to see how man truly is made; what his actual nature is, however it may seem other. The native metal shines out here and there, spite of the rust. And this suggests a simile for political economy; it is as if a chemist, taking up a piece of precious metal, or a precious stone, rusted, or encrusted with a foreign substance, should insist on that as the thing, and speak of the other as subordinate. And in truth that is what would come first; would be what appeared.

And here is another proof that this strongest element in man is the rightful basis and orderer of the whole life. —viz. that while it is capable of being made perfectly and consistently so, the other cannot be. It never does

-save now and then, to the horror of the race-furnish the entire basis and rule even of an individual life. It is never proposed, save as something needed to be modified, added to, restrained. Harmony and unity, on that basis, are impossible. See, too, the weakness of the selfelement in this; that it fails in doing even what its exponents claim for it, preserve and establish peace. Commercial relations do not prevent war.

Again, what seems an argument against the belief that the altruistic elements in man are the destined basis and ruler of his life-viz. that the power of the altruistic part has hitherto been exhibited only by some of the race -really becomes a proof on the other side, when the law of man's life is known. For it is a law that that which

is to be universal shows itself first in imperfect forms, which are, and can only be, partial. This exhibition of altruistic life is the very proof that it is, made higher and more perfect, to be universal.

Might not political economy, by recognizing the selfelement in man to be by negation, even gain additional scope and definiteness, and fuller sway? Would not the relative place of the "self" and "human" elements in man then be capable of exact definition? So that we might say, of certain departments of life: "These should be regulated by the self-element."

In seeking to get justice done we are striving after a thing that is unattainable; we never can get justice on the self principle.

For instance, what justice is attained by punishing a man who has injured another? Does he not remain injured just the same?

But we can get a habitual and satisfactory, if not perfect, self-abnegation for others on the part of each; and so attain, practically, much more justice than by aiming at it. To obtain justice we must aim higher.

With reference to those demands of political economy, for dealing with men by inferior and selfish motiveswe must grant the case is so; there is this element in human nature. The question is, how is it to be regarded? Is it a normal one, or one of defect, and absence? and if the latter, how should we deal with it? What do reason, common sense, and experience demand in such a case? That we should act according to a defective, perverted, feeling-is that ever rational, or safe?

Is it not the necessity for this knowledge, to which Socialism, in its many forms, bears witness? Let it be