VIRTUE AND CRIME 175 



of the best calf. No matter how degenerate, false or unsound 

 the philosophy of its leaders of science may be, its system of 

 education, though not so well adapted to the wholesale dis- 

 tribution of knowledge to the masses as our system, has the 

 advantage that, while it gives equal facility to all who have 

 real genius in the chances of acquiring the acme of knowledge 

 their profession most requires in all its branches, it is very 

 much better calculated to inculcate energy, perseverance and 

 obedience into the masses of the people than ours is, and tends 

 to give more efficiency in all branches of its trades and pro- 

 fessions than ours does. This is a matter we will do well to 

 copy from them, because it is in this respect better than ours. 



They are making a race of industrious, useful men, capable 

 of being governed, docile, and respectful to authority, whereas 

 we are rearing up a race of idle loafers, unreasonable, un- 

 governable and unruly, selfish, greedy and insolent and unem- 

 ployable. But if we copy them, let us beware of copying their 

 errors and sins, by any loss of godliness, charity, justice and 

 mercy. For even though we have an idol of education that is 

 far more beautiful and of higher ideals of perfection than 

 other nations, its feet are of clay, and it will not profit us 

 anything if it is bought at the high price of the greatest of all 

 mistakes viz., by granting knowledge and liberty to the 

 masses, heedless whether our system evolves folly, indolence, 

 extravagance and love of pleasure, instead of wisdom, energy, 

 thrift and moral rectitude and the necessary restriction of 

 liberty that freedom demands. For an idiot is only a fool, 

 when all is said and done, but a clever fool can make a waster, 

 a drunkard, a loafer or a blackguard, a rogue or a thief. 

 Knowledge can make a clever fool, but it takes breeding to 

 produce talents and wisdom, and law to produce order. I love 

 England, and I do not love Germany ; but we find fault with 

 our wives because we love them, and we only shrug our 

 I shoulders when other men's wives and children go wrong, but 

 this does not justify their going wrong or our shrugging our 

 shoulders. 



Though I intend to make this treatise as concise and initia- 

 tive as possible, I could not pass this subject by without 

 commenting upon it, for I realise that so great a factor is 

 knowledge and education going to be in the future as regards 

 the prevention of crime and the encouragement of virtue, and 



