they feel, in the nature of advancement; and prosperity
is their Genius. But let us know and remember that this prosperity, with
all the terrible features which it has gradually assumed, is a child of
noble parents--Liberty and Philanthropic Love. Perverted as the creature
is which it has grown up to (rather, into which it has passed),--from no
inferior stock could it have issued. It is the Fallen Spirit, triumphant
in misdeeds, which was formerly a blessed Angel.

If then (to return to ourselves) there be such strong obstacles in the
way of our drawing benefit either from the maxims of policy or the
principles of justice: what hope remains that the British Nation should
repair, by its future conduct, the injury which has been done?--We
cannot advance a step towards a rational answer to this
question--without previously adverting to the original sources of our
miscarriages; which are these:--First; a want, in the minds of the
members of government and public functionaries, of knowledge
indispensible for this service; and, secondly, a want of power, in the
same persons acting in their corporate capacities, to give effect to the
knowledge which individually they possess.--Of the latter source of
weakness,--this inability as caused by decay in the machine of
government, and by illegitimate forces which are checking and
controuling its constitutional motions,--I have not spoken, nor shall I
now speak: for I have judged it best to suspend my task for a while: and
this subject, being in its nature delicate, ought not to be lightly or
transiently touched. Besides, no _immediate_ effect can be expected from
the soundest and most unexceptionable doctrines which might be laid
down for the correcting of this evil.--The former source of
weakness,--namely, the want of appropriate and indispensible
knowledge,--has, in the past investigation, been reached, and shall be
further laid open; not without a hope of some result of _immediate_ good
by a direct application to the mind; and in full confidence that the
best and surest way to render operative that knowledge which is already
possessed--is to increase the stock of knowledge.

Here let me avow that I undertook this present labour as a serious duty;
rather, that it was forced (and has been unremittingly pressed) upon me
by a perception of justice united with strength of feeling;--in a word,
by that power of conscience, calm or impassioned, to which throughout I
have done reverence