xcept in the case of
the most degenerate, to discover that the highest happiness is not of
the nursery or the kitchen, but rather of the living spirit.

Observation of nature, love of beautiful things, delight in noble
literature, gratitude for the highest forms of wit and humour, sympathy
with all sorts and conditions of men, reverence for the majesty of the
universe, kindness to all, love of children, and devotion to the home,
these operations of the human spirit bring peace to the heart of man and
continue their ministrations to his happiness with an increasing power
of joy as his personality enlarges itself to receive the highest
revelations of Life.

* * * * *

Something far greater than she is now doing might be done by the Church
to restore the sanctions which once ruled human conduct and gave a
living force to public opinion. Religion in these days is obviously too
complaisant. To watch the Church in the world is to be reminded of a
poor relation from the provinces sitting silent and overawed in the
gilded drawing-room of a parvenu. There is no sound of confidence in her
voice. She whines for the world's notice instead of denouncing its very
obvious sins. She is too much in this world, and too little in the
other. She is too careful not to offend Dives, and too self-conscious to
be seen openly in the company of Lazarus. It is impossible not to think
that a coarse world has shaken her faith in Christian virtue. She clings
to her traditions and her doctrines, but she has lost the vigorous faith
in spiritual life which gave beauty to those traditions and has ceased
to set that example of entire self-sacrifice which rendered her
doctrines less difficult of interpretation by the instructed. She has
ceased to preach, even with the dying embers of conviction, that a man
may gain the whole world and yet lose his soul alive.

* * * * *

A responsibility hardly to be exceeded by that of aristocracy rests upon
the leaders of Labour. Every voice raised to encourage the economic
delusions of Socialism is a voice on the side of vulgarity and
irreligion. Most of the leaders of Labour know perfectly well that
economic Socialism is impossible, but by not saying so with honest
courage they commit a grave sin, a sin not only against society but
against God. For democracy in England, once the most sensible and
kind-hearted democracy in Europe, is placing its faith m