ends constitutes the sole object of government, the result will be a degraded society, deficient in every characteristic which elevates and purifies the nature of man.

A political philosophy which assumed selfishness to be the incentive of all human actions, and adopted it as the principle on which government should be based, was the production of a cynical mind, refusing to acknowledge the intellectual and moral qualities of men, with all the various problems to which these qualities give rise.

Whatever opinion may be formed of James Mill's treatise on "Government," no intelligent person would now regard it as a satisfactory solution of the political problem.

CHAPTER V.

LORD MACAULAY'S THEORY-THE SCIENCE OF

POLITICS FOUNDED ON INDUCTION.

JAMES MILL'S scheme of government was vigorously criticized by Macaulay, who argued with his usual eloquence and ability that the diversity of human nature is so great as to render all reasoning based on any one motive fallacious. Having illustrated this statement by numerous examples, Macaulay proceeded to explain the wider foundation on which, in his opinion, the science of government should be constructed. He proposed to reach it by induction-that is, "by observing the present state of the world—by assiduously studying the history of past ages-by sifting the evidence of facts-by carefully combining and contrasting those which are authentic

by generalizing with judgment and diffidence -by perpetually bringing the theory constructed to the test of new facts-by correcting or altogether abandoning it, according as those new facts prove it to be partially or fundamentally unsound." "This," said Macaulay, "is the noble science of politics, which of all sciences is the most important to the welfare of nations, which of all sciences most tends to expand and invigorate the mind, which draws nutriment and ornament from every part of philosophy and literature, and dispenses in return nutriment and ornament to all."

Having admired this declamation, if we follow Macaulay's advice and proceed to test his theory by the evidence of facts, the system appears illusory. By induction Macaulay must be supposed to mean the process of attaining general truths by the accumulation and verification of facts.

This system, although successful in the

study of physical science, has never been applied to politics. The British Constitution was not the result of elaborate induction. The Revolution of 1688 was not brought about by generalizing with judgment and diffidence. The conduct of King James alarmed the country, and offended the religious feelings of the people. The tyranny of the King led to the treachery of his Ministers; and a widespread conspiracy was contrived by politicians, who had no tincture of science and no scruples of morality.

If Macaulay's theory is tested by the measures which were contemporary with his own public life, it will be found equally inapplicable. The three chief measures of that period were, the Roman Catholic Emancipation, the Parliamentary Reform, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. Their passage through Parliament was not the result of any inductive reasoning, but was forced on the Legislature by popular violence, by the

exigencies of the day, and by all the mixed motives which animate party strife.

Perhaps Macaulay did not intend to assert that political measures had been the fruit of induction, but that the science of politics should be founded on this philosophical system.

Macaulay's theory appears to be altogether erroneous when applied to the problems which living politicians desire to solve. The data on which to base inductive reasoning cannot be found.

What will constitute the best representative system ?

How can the differences between capital and labour be adjusted?

Should the connection between the Church and State be dissolved?

These are a few of the questions which agitate society in this country at the present time, and for their solution induction is not available.