292 National Life and Character 



the glory of Rome was at its height, remote Medi- 

 terranean provinces furnished triumphs to the great 

 military leaders of the Eternal City., English ad- 

 ministrators govern subject empires larger than 

 those conquered by Alexander. In letters no name 

 has been produced that will stand with the first 

 half-dozen of all literature, but there have been very 

 many borne by men whose effect upon the literatures 

 of their own countries has been profound, and whose 

 works will last as long as the works of any men 

 written in the same tongues. In science even more 

 has been done; Darwin has fairly revolutionized 

 thought; and many others stand but a step below 

 him. 



All this means only that the opportunities have 

 been exceptionally great for the men of exception- 

 ally great powers ; but they have also been great for 

 the men of ordinary powers. The workingman is, 

 on the whole, better fed, better clothed, better 

 housed, and provided with greater opportunities for 

 pleasure and for mental and spiritual improvement 

 than ever before. The man with ability enough to 

 become a lawmaker has the fearful joy of grappling 

 with problems as important as any the administra- 

 tors and legislators of the past had to face. The 

 ordinary man of adventurous tastes and a desire to 

 get all out of life that can be gotten, is beyond meas- 

 ure better off than were his forefathers of one, two, 

 or three centuries back. He can travel rotmd the 

 world; he can dwell in any country he wishes; he 

 can explore strange regions; he can spend years by 



