12 



Mongolian is gradually acquiring his arts. The experience of the 

 last fifty years shows us, however, that there is no such thing as 

 standing still. When the Mongolian has reached to our present 

 standard, labour questions will for him come to the front, the 

 standard of living will have become higher, and the keenness of 

 the competition with us will be abated. At the same time, 

 advances in applications of scientific knowledge will have become 

 more extensive. When our coal fields have become exhausted, 

 and those of China are being fully worked, will not a fresh motor 

 power have been discovered, rendering us independent of fuel ? 

 I decline to be pessimistic, or to indulge in jeremiads like those 

 of Mr. Pearson in his recent and most important work. Past 

 history does not justify pessimism. Unfavourable forecasts, how- 

 ever probable and plausible they njay appear, we will not believe. 

 There are too many instances in which prophecies have been 

 falsified by events for us to believe those of Mr. Pearson. The 

 Duke of Wellington, in 1832, said that " Few people would be 

 sanguine enough to imagine that we shall ever again be as 

 prosperous as we have been." Since that time the wealth of this 

 country has advanced by leaps and bounds. The break-up of the 

 Turkish Empire in Europe has been foretold for centuries. It is 

 still in futurity. Malthus foresaw impending bankruptcy, unless 

 the population was restrained. We are further removed from 

 bankruptcy than in his time, although the population has trebled. 

 The coal measures of England will some day be exhausted, but 

 not one of us will stay his hand from the coal scuttle on a cold 

 winter's day on this account. This attitude of mind, although 

 superficially it appears selfish, is in reality the most proper to 

 take. Our puny help is not required by providence. Whether 

 we help or hinder in these great cosmic concerns, they will come 

 to their destined issues. It is only for us to do right and fear 

 nothing. 



WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBEE 8th. 



Meeting for discussion of Dr. Newsholme's paper on " The 

 Influence of Civilization upon the Survival of the Fittest." 



