406 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



suits appear in a thousand other cases, both of 

 laws still existing, and of laws which have been 

 repealed. The conduct of men depends on the 

 balance of motives which are brought to bear upon 

 them. In supplying those motives, external con- 

 ditions and mental character act and react upon 

 each other. Both of these can be affected, and 

 affected powerfully, by Positive Institution. 



The restraints of Positive Institution are not, 

 however, the only means, — very often they are not 

 the best means by which to lighten the overpower- 

 ing pressure of particular motives upon the indi- 

 vidual Will. For as the Reason and the Con- 

 science of the whole Political Community can 

 interfere by the exercise of authority, so also may 

 adequate remedies be found in the reason and the 

 conscience of Voluntary Societies. The external 

 conditions which tell upon the individual Will 

 are themselves very often nothing but condi- 

 tions depending on the aggregate Will of those 

 around us ; and if upon them, by any means, new 

 motives can be brought to bear, then the whole 

 of those external conditions may be changed. 

 The language which is used in the name of Eco- 

 nomic Science constantly involves in this matter 



