strong evidence that the affairs of this country are being conducted on
sound scientific principles, rather than by any species of guess-work or
haphazard contrivances. The use of history is recognised as extremely
important in determining a future line of conduct; and statesmen are in
the habit of endeavouring to find from their study of the past what is
the logical sequence of events. Just as mathematicians endeavour to
determine the law of a series of figures, and having found the law, can
write down the next, and the next, _ad infinitum_; so scientific
politicians may be able soon to establish the various laws of a series
of events, and calculate their course of actions. That there is
considerable progress in this direction is manifest by the value which
they place upon statistics, and their continued use of this important
information.

There are a few great evils in our present system which are strongly
opposed to any scientific methods in politics; and in the interests of
the country as well as those of science they ought to be removed. One
great evil is the want of political and scientific knowledge on the part
of the electors, who are in the habit of choosing their representatives
on personal grounds, or party considerations, rather than on sound
principles of political science. All this is opposed to any idea of law.
Owing to the ignorance of the electors they fall an easy prey to
adventurers and unprincipled politicians, who make all kinds of specious
promises, tempt them with all manner of baits, and make self-interest
instead of the welfare of the State the principle of voting. Selfishness
is the ruin of social life and intercourse, the destroyer of all
happiness, peace, and mutual trust in family life or in society. It is
the root of most of the faults, vices, and crimes in the individual; and
who can tell the endless disasters which will befall the State, where
selfishness is the chief motive-power of the electors and the elected? A
selfish statesman, one who goes into Parliament to gain his own ends and
forward his own personal interests, is a disgrace to society--

'Feeling himself, his own low self, the whole,
When he by sacred sympathy might make
The whole one self. Self, that no alien knows!
Self, far diffused as fancy's wing can travel!
Self, spreading still, oblivious of its own,
Yet all of all possessing!'

I have said that the ignorance of the electorate makes them an e