115 



to demonstrate that this Science must be most 

 intimately bound up with what is called Social 

 Philosophy : that it is eminently practical, and has 

 nothing in common with systems of metaphysics, 

 dialectics, or physics. Nor is there anything new 

 in all this ; yet are these remarks not irrelevant ; 

 for, any person who reads the discussions being 

 carried on in every public journal in Great 

 Britain, cannot fail to percieve that the great 

 national question which now troubles England, 

 is discussed by almost all, if not all parties con- 

 cerned, aa if it admitted of being decided on 

 economical premises alone. The time may come 

 when it will be possible to do this. Some people 

 of volatile imaginations, disregarding organic dif- 

 ferences in the bony structure of birds and beasts, 

 still cling to the hope that we may yet fly. Count- 

 less skillful mechanics, indeed, have constructed 

 wings so cunningly designed, that in their dreams 

 they have soared beyond even their own imagina- 

 tions. But like the Artist of the ' Happy Valley/ 

 who ' waved his pinions awhile to gather air, then 

 leaped from his stand, and in an instant dropped 

 into the lake/ all have similarly come to grief. 

 And such no doubt, to the end of time, will be 

 the fate of all, who by a misapplication of the 



abstract principles of Political Economy to the pur- 

 poses of pure speculative reasoning, attempt to solve 



questions, essentially practical in their nature, 



