98 Contemporary Evolution. 



simultaneously with a wide-spread, avowed, and open 

 renunciation of the religion which gave birth to, and 

 was so intimately blended with it. 



Can Christian monarchy rationally survive for many 

 centuries the dethronement of the power that consecrated 

 it ? Nobles, the descendants of those who robbed the 

 Church that is, the whole of their poorer fellow-citizens 

 for their own selfish aggrandisement, should hardly be 

 surprised if fresh injustice again plunders them. A pluto- 

 cracy of merchants, manufacturers, and wealthy profes- 

 sional men offers little to impress the masses with a sense 

 of its inviolable sanctity. 



The highest triumphs of art, magnificent decorations, 

 the richest products of the loom, profusion of gold and 

 jewels, these things as used by the Church were at least 

 for the enjoyment of the multitude. There will be little 

 cause for astonishment if that multitude ultimately objects 

 to the withdrawal of these things into the palaces of 

 kings and of princes, whether feudal or mercantile ; or to 

 the exclusive appropriation of some of them for the pri- 

 vate use of rich women, however virtuous, or of beauties 

 however vile. 



Wrong has been destroyed to give way to other wrong, 

 injustice has been displaced by fresh injustice, till much 

 honest indignation reinforces that spirit of revolt against 

 our existing social system which so widely pervades the 

 masses in the great European cities, producing an accu- 



