ABSTRACT
This chapter seems to be spreading that England stands already on the verge of a dangerous precipice; at any moment the door open for her on a crisis more serious than any in her whole history. While it seems to be admitted now on all hands that the social condition of this country is about as bad as it can be, and while many schemes, more or less philanthropic or revolutionary, are proposed for its regeneration, it just occurs to me to bring forward, by way of balance, the importance of personal actions and ideals. Rotten at heart, and penetrated with falsehood, her aristocracy emasculated of its manhood, her capitalist classes wrapped in selfishness, luxury, and self-satisfied philanthropy, her Government offices, army, navy, and the rest, plethoric, gorged with red tape. The wheels actually cease to go round; the first great strain, European or Eastern war, and it seem not improbable that the governing classes of England will succumb disgracefully.
