Roger, in his well-known Thesaurus, gives the word hamanise as a synonym for civilised; and the word humanise is explained in Nuttall's dictionary as meaning to soften, to render humane. If we consider the most advanced nations of modern times and recall those of the past which have been pre-eminentincivilisntion, we see how prominent a feature softening is in what we regard as progress, In contrast to our aspirations alter progress we have to face its inevit table result, It is suldening to reflect that, in the present stage of the world's history, just as of old, the battle is to the strong and not to the gentle and humane. We cannot escape from the inexorable law of the survival of the fittest, which decrees that the weak and yielding must yo down before the vigorous and aggressive. Virtue is, in the hard facts of life, no defence against violence. However earnestly we British may declare our desire tw promote the universal brotherhood of man, while persuading ourselves that the widening 3 ix part of an unselfish to extend the blessings of those nations with whew we come ints rivalry will nat be deterred from making our empire theirs if they find we are lucking in the courage and ability to hold our own, No doubt we are justified in claiming, especially in more recent times, that we have done our best in our rigid insular fashion to, mneliorate the lot of those we have brought under our rale—althongh it is to be feared that one benevolent tentions have seldom been duly appreciated by the peoples concerned,—but we must not flatter ourselves into a false feeling of security suppos that our praiseworthy endeavours the cause of humanity will act as a barrier ust the attacks of powerful neighbours who find out possessions desirable, and who probably consider that their methods of gove ment would be superior to out:
The rapid growth of our vast and unwieldy Empire, the enormous. accumulation of wealth and world-wide commercial interests which make us shrink from war, have increased our dangers; bat they have come upon us so quickly that the country in general has hardy yet become aware of the tremendous risks we have to face. If once our rivals are convinced that, by the softening process of a luxurious civilisation and the demoralising "effects of money-making, we have lost the grim determination of our forefathers, the temptation dangling before their eyes will be too great for resistance. It: is as true now as ever that the man who is ready to strike back is left alone, while the submissive are trodden under foot.
We appear to be just now at what may prove to be a turning-point in our history. For forty years we have had no great war to harden us and bring out the manlier side of our nature, One little wars against savages, however much they may brace up and prove the mettle of those" actually engaged, affect a very small fraction of the country at large, and the easy success gained is rather harmful than good by inducing a dangerous carelessness, It cannot be said that we really know what we are worth at present from a military point of view, That men of our race are still cupable of deeds of the noblest heroism has been proved over and over again lately in the Himalayas; but it would be idle to ignore the other side of the picture. 'The wild hillman whom we have considered it necessary to attack, nnsoftened by civilisation, have fairly held their own against superior science and after months of effort' our success is still incomplete. And we hear of regiments falling back after losses which in the Peninsular and other wars would not have been noticed while there are still darker rumours of contemptuous feeling for some of our troops having arisen among our native battalions, But, while we hear such stories with an' anxious feeling of me, we need not attach too much importance to them as proving a doterioration in the British soldier. He tly proved that he is a man when the conditions give him a chance, and everyone knows that our men in India have to contend with great disadvantages. They are anything but seasoned veterans, they have to undergo the deadly sapping of the awful Indian summer, and, thanks to the wicked cowardice with which men who make the laws have yielded to the feminine ignorance of certain hysterical fanatics, a large proportion of the poor fellows are enfeebled by preventible disease, This is where the softening influence of civilisation comes in. When men yield, beyond the bounds of common sensa, to unreasoning and womanish sentiment, they are no longer a match for foes-who. may be nearer the animal but are also mauly men. The fatal languor of -sentiment, which hides its insidious approach under. the disguise.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.