ered from the waste battle-field of
the chaotic elements, will once more, there as here, begin to show
themselves.

When the Continental Nations have once got to the bottom of _their_
Augean Stable, and begun to have real enterprises based on the eternal
facts again, our Foreign Office may again have extensive concerns with
them. And at all times, and even now, there will remain the question to
be sincerely put and wisely answered, What essential concern _has_ the
British Nation with them and their enterprises? Any concern at all,
except that of handsomely keeping apart from them? If so, what are
the methods of best managing it?--At present, as was said, while Red
Republic but clashes with foul Bureaucracy; and Nations, sunk in
blind ignavia, demand a universal-suffrage Parliament to heal their
wretchedness; and wild Anarchy and Phallus-Worship struggle with
Sham-Kingship and extinct or galvanized Catholicism; and in the Cave of
the Winds all manner of rotten waifs and wrecks are hurled against
each other,--our English interest in the controversy, however huge said
controversy grow, is quite trifling; we have only in a handsome manner
to say to it: "Tumble and rage along, ye rotten waifs and wrecks;
clash and collide as seems fittest to you; and smite each other into
annihilation at your own good pleasure. In that huge conflict, dismal
but unavoidable, we, thanks to our heroic ancestors, having got so far
ahead of you, have now no interest at all. Our decided notion is, the
dead ought to bury their dead in such a case: and so we have the
honor to be, with distinguished consideration, your entirely
devoted,--FLIMNAP, SEC. FOREIGN DEPARTMENT."--I really think Flimnap,
till truer times come, ought to treat much of his work in this way:
cautious to give offence to his neighbors; resolute not to concern
himself in any of their self-annihilating operations whatsoever.

Foreign wars are sometimes unavoidable. We ourselves, in the course of
natural merchandising and laudable business, have now and then got into
ambiguous situations; into quarrels which needed to be settled, and
without fighting would not settle. Sugar Islands, Spice Islands, Indias,
Canadas, these, by the real decree of Heaven, were ours; and nobody
would or could believe it, till it was tried by cannon law, and so
proved. Such cases happen. In former times especially, owing very much
to want of intercourse and to the consequent mutual ignorance, there did