, and it was owing to their practical
common sense--or, as you would prefer to call it, materialism--that
the Romans were enabled to found an organised society upon purely human
needs and aspirations. And why should what they were enabled to achieve
be impossible again for other nations who have succeeded them in their
world-power? The spirit of the age is ever changing, yet it is only a
regularly recurring return of the same conditions, just as the planets
in the heavens, ever again in their orbit, come back to their old
positions."

"And supposing the 'Zeitgeist,' like many planets, does not move in a
circle but in a spiral line? The British world-sovereignty has, as we
see, taken a higher flight than did the Roman. Could not this British
world-power, by permeating wise diplomacy with the profound idea of
Indian philosophy, have attained to a great reformation of the whole
of the human race? It would have been a glorious idea, but I have here
learnt how far they were from its realisation."

"All the same, I do not think that the English army would have been
defeated by the Russian, had they not fought in accordance with the
rules of antiquated tactics."

"Oh, sir, if the Indian troops had fought with their whole soul for
England we should never have sustained this defeat."

"As a soldier, I am inclined to dispute that. The Indians will never be
a match for a well-disciplined European army. The race is wanting in too
great a measure in military qualities."

"The Indian people is, by nature, it is true, gentle and good-hearted.
In order to render it wild and bloodthirsty it must be wounded in its
most sacred feelings."

"Perhaps you judge it rather too mildly. Decided traces of barbarism
still linger in this people, even in its highest circles. Here is a case
in point that I am able to quote of my own personal knowledge. An Indian
prince, before the outbreak of the war, attempted to carry off, by
his servants, an English lady from her home, and bribed an assassin to
poison the English resident, who rebuked him for his conduct."

The Professor was astounded.

"Is it possible? Can such things be? Have you not perhaps been deceived
by an exaggerated report?"

"I myself was close at hand, and observed all that took place, and can
give you, the names. The lady upon whom this dastardly attempt was made
is Mrs. Edith Irwin, who had followed her husband, a captain in the
lancers, to the camp of Chanidigot."

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