humanity, striving after higher ideals. We needed to have
life permeated with all the helps and lights that were possible; not to
shut these out as they became available.

There had been disturbances to the growth of Anglo-Saxon union, and
opportunities for its furtherance had been thrown away. Perhaps the
greatest disturbance was the war between the Northern and Southern States
of America. 'It arose,' Sir George noted, 'out of the one great flaw in
that wonderful creation, the American Constitution. Strangely enough, the
Constitution omitted to make any provision for dealing with slavery, and
inevitably, in course of time, came dispute and war.' Yet, the strands of
race held unbroken through that trial, and the future was secure.

Sir George Grey found himself reinforced, in so believing, by the opinion
of General Grant. This he heard from Sir T. Fowell Buxton; who had
travelled in America with Mr. W. E. Forster, while Grant was President.
The General took his English visitors for a drive, and his talk was of
military matters and his horses, until they were nearly back at
Washington. Suddenly, he went off on the subject of an alliance between
Great Britain and the United States, his hopes and expectations of it. He
added that he should not live to witness the drawing together, but he was
certain it must become a great power in the world, especially on sea.

'Well,' Sir George commented, 'if General Grant, a man of singularly
practical character, was among the prophets, I am quite content to be in
his company.'

When he talked of the federation of the British Empire, or of the larger
welding in which he had belief, Sir George would declare, 'No good
service is rendered by creating difficulties ahead. We may be certain of
this that each generation, as it comes rolling on, will hold its own
views upon every subject, differing widely, perhaps, from the views of
its predecessors. The essential thing, in all government, is to secure to
the people at large, the power of enacting the laws they deem to be the
wisest and best suited to the circumstances of their age.'

Thus, while he had worked out definite lines of federation, he was
content if principles were accepted. 'No man,' he argued, 'should presume
to lay down the law in such a matter; just let the vision be realised by
natural process. Be there the hewing of materials, and the building would
follow by and by. If it were possible to solidify the English-speaking
peo