own larger world as if it was written yesterday. It
throws light on small things as well as large, and interprets alike the
condition of the islands which I had left, the condition of England, the
condition of all civilised countries in this modern epoch.

The chief characteristic of this age, as it was the chief characteristic
of Plato's, is the struggle for what we call the 'rights of man.' In
other times the thing insisted on was that men should do what was
'right' as something due to a higher authority. Now the demand is for
what is called their 'rights' as something due to themselves, and among
these rights is a right to liberty; liberty meaning the utmost possible
freedom of every man consistent with the freedom of others, and the
abolition of every kind of authority of one man over another. It is with
this view that we have introduced popular suffrage, that we give
everyone a vote, or aim at giving it, as the highest political
perfection.

We turn to Plato and we find: 'In a healthy community there ought to be
some authority over every single man and woman. No person--not
one--ought to act on his or her judgment alone even in the smallest
trifle. The soldier on a campaign obeys his commander in little things
as well as great. The safety of the army requires it. But it is in peace
as it is in war, and there is no difference. Every person should be
trained from childhood to rule and to be ruled. So only can the life of
man, and the life of all creatures dependent on him, be delivered from
anarchy.'

It is worth while to observe how diametrically opposite to our notions
on this subject were the notions of a man of the finest intellect, with
the fullest opportunities of observation, and every one of whose
estimates of things was confirmed by the event. Such a discipline as he
recommends never existed in any community of men except perhaps among
the religious orders in the enthusiasm of their first institution, nor
would a society be long tolerable in which it was tried. Communities,
however, have existed where people have thought more of their
obligations than of their 'rights,' more of the welfare of their
country, or of the success of a cause to which they have devoted
themselves, than of their personal pleasure or interest--have preferred
the wise leading of superior men to their own wills and wishes. Nay,
perhaps no community has ever continued long, or has made a mark in the
world of serious significance, whe