f races, there is a system of marvellous means,
which by its very simplicity masks and hides from us the wise profundity
of its purpose. Often-times, in wandering amongst the inanimate world, the
philosopher is disposed to say--this plant, this mineral, this fruit, is
met with so often, not because it is better than others of the same family,
perhaps it is worse, but because its resources for spreading and
naturalizing itself, are, by accident, greater than theirs. That same
analogy he finds repeated in the great drama of colonization. It is not,
says he pensively to himself, the success which measures the merit. It is
not that nature, or that providence, has any final cause at work in
disseminating these British children over every zone and climate of the
earth. Oh, no! far from it! But it is the unfair advantages of these
islanders, which carry them thus potently a-head. Is it so, indeed?
Philosopher, you are wrong. Philosopher, you are envious. You speak
Spanish, philosopher, or even French. Those advantages, which you suppose
to disturb the equities of the case--were they not products of British
energy? Those twenty-five thousand of ships, whose graceful shadows darken
the blue waters in every climate--did they build themselves? That myriad
of acres, laid out in the watery cities of docks--were they sown by the
rain, as the fungus or the daisy? Britain _has_ advantages at this stage
of the race, which make the competition no longer equal--henceforwards it
has become gloriously "unfair"--but at starting we were all equal. Take
this truth from us, philosopher; that in such contests the power
constitutes the title, the man that has the ability to go a-head, is the
man entitled to go a-head; and the nation that _can_ win the place of
leader, is the nation that ought to do so.

This colonizing genius of the British people appears upon a grand scale in
Australia, Canada, and, as we may remind the else forgetful world, in the
United States of America; which States are our children, prosper by our
blood, and have ascended to an overshadowing altitude from an infancy
tended by ourselves. But on the fields of India it is, that our aptitudes
for colonization have displayed themselves most illustriously, because
they were strengthened by violent resistance. We found many kingdoms
established, and to these we have given unity; and in process of doing so,
by the necessities of the general welfare, or the mere instincts of
self-pre