ng
affected by the world at large. We must inquire what influence the
material pressure of Europe is likely to have on her in the Levant, and
what in Africa and Central Asia; and, above all, we must examine closely
our own position towards her, and the course which duty and interest
require us to pursue in regard to the vast Mussulman population of our
Indian Empire.

I take it the sentiment generally of Continental Europe--I do not speak
of England--towards Mohammedanism is still much what it has always been,
namely, one of social hostility and political aggression. In spite of
all the changes which have affected religious thought in Catholic
Europe, and of the modern doctrine of tolerance in matters of opinion,
none of the nations by which Islam is immediately confronted to the
north and west have really changed anything of their policy towards her,
since the days when they first resolved on the recovery of "Christian
lands lost to the infidel." It is true that most of them no longer put
forward religious zeal as the motive of their action, or the possession
of the Holy Sepulchre as its immediate object; but under the name of
"civilization" their crusade is no less a continuous reality, and the
direction of their efforts has not ceased to be the resumption by Europe
of political control in the whole of the provinces once forming the
Roman Empire. The sentiment in its origin was a just one, and, though
now become for the most part selfish with the various Christian states,
who see in the advantage to Christendom only an advantage to themselves,
it appeals to an ancient and respectable moral sanction which is in
itself no inconsiderable power. It is certain that the national
conscience neither of France, nor Spain, nor Italy, nor Austria would
repudiate an aggression, however unprovoked, upon any of the still
independent Mussulman states of the Mediterranean, and that the only
judgment passed on such an act by public opinion would be one dependent
on its failure or success.

Thus in estimating the future of Islam as a political body, and in view
of the disparity proved to exist at all points between modern Europe and
its ancient rival in the matter of physical strength, we must be
prepared to see the latter submit at no distant date to great
territorial losses along the whole line of its European frontier. Few, I
think, to begin from the extreme west, will be inclined to doubt that,
should the French succeed in thorou