THE ACCUSATION 187 



ago, but its effects at that time were offset by the rise of 

 humanitarian feeling." Now, however, humanitarianism 

 too " has lost its hold." The resulting temper is " a good- 

 natured scepticism, not only about the other world, but 

 about the deeper problems and higher interests in this 

 world." "We have lost the stimulus and guidance to 

 effort, and the basis for a serious and rational public life." 



There is some hope for a nation as there is for an indi- 

 vidual, as long as it retains the basis, or feels the stimulus, 

 of a better life. Having these, though it may have been 

 " left o' the very ledge of things," like Browning's Guido, 

 it may still : 



" Catch convulsively 

 One by one at all honest forms of life, 

 At reason, order, decency and use 

 To cramp him and get foothold by at least." 



But the British people can make no such effort, according 

 to Mr. Hobhouse. They have lost interest in the prin- 

 ciples upon which national well-being rests. Nay, they 

 have sought to fortify themselves in their injustice, 

 arrogance, ignorance, callousness, collective selfishness and 

 scepticism ; for they have invented or discovered theories 

 by which to justify themselves. They have misread recent 

 political history, perverted the main principles of physical 

 science, adopted or distorted a philosophy in such a fashion 

 as to make their own degenerate condition appear to accord 

 with the nature of things, and their conduct, if not right, 

 at least not wrong. 



From recent political history they have learnt the lust of 

 empire, the greed of commercial gain, and the means and 

 methods of satisfying these passions. 



Physical science, they have discovered, "gives its ver- 



