LETTERS ON THE LAND QUESTION. 345 



existing owners, and a fortiori does not affect the superior title of 

 the community and as, consequently, he admits that the commu- 

 nity, as supreme owner with a still valid title, may resume posses- 

 sion if it thinks well, he seems to me to leave the question standing 

 very much where it stood ; and since he, as I suppose, agrees with 

 me that any such resumption, should a misjudgment lead to it, 

 ought to be accompanied by due compensation for all artificial 

 value given to land, I do not see in what respect we disagree on 

 the land question. I pass, therefore, to his comments on absolute 

 political ethics. 



" Your treatment is quite at variance with physiological principles " would 

 probably be the criticism passed by a modern practitioner on the doings of a San- 

 grado, if we suppose one to have survived. " Oh, bother your physiological prin- 

 ciples " might be the reply. " I have got to cure this disease, and my experience 

 tells me that bleeding and frequent draughts of hot water are needed." " Well," 

 would be the rejoinder, " if you do not kill your patient, you will at any rate 

 greatly retard his recovery, as you would probably be aware had you read Prof. 

 Huxley's ' Lessons on Elementary Physiology,' and the more elaborate books on 

 the subject which medical students have to master." 



This imaginary conversation will sufficiently suggest that, 

 before there can be rational treatment of a disordered state of the 

 bodily functions, there must be a conception of what constitutes 

 their ordered state : knowing what is abnormal implies knowing 

 what is normal. That Prof. Huxley recognizes this truth is, I 

 suppose, proved by the inclusion of physiology in that course of 

 medical education which he advocates. If he says that abandon- 

 ment of the Sangrado treatment was due, not to the teachings of 

 physiology, but to knowledge empirically gained, then I reply 

 that if he expands this statement so as to cover all improvements 

 in medical treatment he suicidally rejects the teaching of physi- 

 ological principles as useless. 



"Without insisting upon that analogy between a society and 

 an organism which results from the interdependence of parts per- 

 forming different functions though I believe he recognizes this 

 I think he will admit that conception of a social state as dis- 

 ordered implies conception of an ordered social state. We may 

 fairly assume that, in these modern days at least, all legislation 

 aims at a better ; and the conception of a better is not possible 

 without conception of a best. If there is rejoicing because certain 

 diseases have been diminished by precautions enforced, the im- 

 plied ideal is a state in which these diseases have been extin- 

 guished. If particular measures are applauded because they have 

 decreased criminality, the implication is that the absence of all 

 crime is a desideratum. Hence, however much a politician may 

 pooh-pooh social ideals, he can not take steps toward bettering the 

 social state without tacitly entertaining them. And though he 



vol. xxxvi. 22 



