hat they were characteristic of those races in Greece and Italy, in
Asia and Africa, which grew into the opulent and famous cities in which
so much in the early history of civilization was developed. The colonies
of England have been formed in the same way, just as in olden time
England itself was occupied when the Roman power ceased.

These settlements correspond to the circular masses situated on the
plane surface; they were quite separate from each other, each having its
own laws, its own headman or ruler, its own assembly or parish council.
But as time elapsed, the force of mutual attraction set in; by degrees
these separate settlements were drawn together by force which increased
in proportion as the settlements increased; until at last one united
kingdom was formed under one king, governed by uniform laws and
regulations. The bubbles have blended, the circles have come together,
and one large circle or other curve is the result. This may be called
the _Law of Social Attraction_. In accordance with the results of one
of my previous lectures, I have taken the circle as representing the
simplest form of government, which figure, in the case of the elementary
settlements, must have been small.

Many of you, most noble professors, are doubtless accustomed to make
experiments with the microscope. I will suggest a simple one, which
illustrates very forcibly what I am endeavouring to show you. Take some
particles of copper, and scatter them at intervals over the surface of
an object-glass, and pour some sulphuric acid upon the glass. Now, what
is the result? A beautiful network of apparently golden texture spreads
itself gradually over the whole area of the glass. Steadily it pursues
its way, and the result is beautiful to behold. The minute particles of
copper were the original settlements scattered over the land; the
sulphuric acid the civilizing agent; and the final picture of a united
civilized homogeneous nation is well represented by the progressive and
finally glorious network of gold. This example is of course outside our
present subject, but it serves as a beautiful illustration.

As an instance of the attractive force exercised by small communities
upon each other, I may mention the united kingdom of Germany, which is
composed of numerous small States and nations, which have been drawn
together by the power of mutual attraction. Until recently they were
each self-contained, separate constitutions, with their ow