NOTES 175 



on every occasion to the half-educated, to the wire-puller, and to 

 the faddist. It seems a great thing to talk about the Pax 

 Britannica ; but, as a matter of fact, this is often won by such 

 subserviency. So-called political liberty is justifiable only when 

 it is accompanied by efficient administration, and civilisation is 

 now advancing too fast to allow politicians any more to maintain 

 that the first is superior to the second. In fact, in the opinion 

 of many the whole idea of popular government requires some 

 revision in the interests of the life and prosperity of those who 

 are supposed to govern themselves, but are really too often 

 governed by self-seekers, talkers, impostors, and wholly ignorant 

 persons. 



