way of abuse, but find nothing but honour in the
word); simultaneously, he should impress on his pupils the fact that it
after all is only his view, and urge them not merely to accept but to
examine and criticise; and finally, he should explain with complete
honesty every point that has been, or possibly could be, raised against
it. We call this method "propaganda," because a fire is imparted to
the statement of one side which cannot, from the nature of the case, be
imparted to that of the other; but it is propaganda in which there is
no touch of dishonesty or obscurantism.

We have said that, while he is presenting his case, the master should
be urging his pupils to examine and criticise it. But he should do
more than this; if he is a Liberal, he should spend much of his time in
a direct propaganda of the great Liberal principles--freedom of thought
and discussion; the sanctity of the individual conscience; the
paramount importance of moral and intellectual independence. In this
way he will be creating a habit of mind which will _naturally_
criticise; and so by his propaganda of general liberalism he will
annihilate the vantage-point he would otherwise occupy in his
propaganda of particular principles and policies.

We speak of "liberal education," and surely the epithet is meaningless
unless it be taken to imply that conversion to those general principles
is the very bed-rock of education. But others think otherwise, and so
we would point out the broad distinction which must be drawn between
propaganda of the simple liberal and propaganda of the simple
reactionary principle--on the one hand freedom of thought, on the other
acceptance of ideas not one's own. Our liberal propaganda carries with
it the instrument of its own overthrow. If you can inspire a boy with
a desire to put all things to the test of his own free conscience, you
are empowering him to criticise everything you teach--even that very
liberty of opinion, a belief in which you have been so anxious to
create. But with reactionary propaganda it is quite otherwise. By it
a static habit of mind is produced--a habit of mind which, except by
way of a mercifully not uncommon revolt, is a pawn in the hands of its
present teacher, and that public opinion which in time to come will
take its teacher's place.

A word may be added on the means best calculated to produce the free
mind at which we are aiming. Use, of course, can and should be always
made of