RETROSPECT AND FORECAST 223 



been attained is, wherever it exists, binding together 

 the several races of mankind and preparing the way 

 for the universal conquest of humanity. New and 

 potent forces are working towards humanity's final 

 solidarity. But we are still far from the goal. The 

 evil past is still with us, and the emancipation of 

 civilised man from its sway is only in its earliest stage. 

 The throbbings of the war-spirit are still felt in every 

 vein, nor will they cease beating until many readjust- 

 ments, social and political, have marked the onward 

 progress of civilisation. But the changes in this 

 direction that are taking place are not only of rapid 

 development, but they contain the elements of per- 

 manency, and always advancing and becoming more 

 stringent are the forces that in the present are making 

 for peace, and that in the not distant future shall 

 establish it as a law not to be broken. But to this 

 point civilisation, though rapidly attaining, has not 

 attained ; and still, in the prophetic words of the 

 poet who most truly voiced forth the inspiration of 

 his Mother Age, " Through the shadow of the globe 

 we sweep into the younger day," towards the bright 

 future of the race which he forecasts 



"When the war-drum throbs no longer, and the battle-flags are 



furled, 

 In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world." 



To my thought the mundane history of man has 

 three stages of development, in the second of which 

 we are living : first, the prehistoric existence of man, 

 and his historic period up till the nineteenth century, 



