This is, after all, only a specious argument. Who speaks of advising expatriation _en masse_ to Frenchmen for the sake of peopling distant countries? All the colonies suitable for _peopling_ have already been appropriated by our English rivals. Australia was the last of them. With regard, however, to _colonies for exploration_, it is quite a different matter. And with the fullest conviction of my soul, I say France ought to acquire such colonies. Through them alone will she recover her commercial ascendency, which has been so seriously jeopardized; through them alone will her _social position become assured_. Take, for instance, some child, the son of a workman or farmer: he goes to the school of his quarter or village. Intelligent and hardworking, he soon wins the affection of his teacher. “Work,” says that teacher; “to every one the reward is sure, according to his merits. Think of Pasteur, the son of a workman, to whom all Europe renders homage.” Believing what he is told, the child works on. At first the State fulfils the promises made through the lips of the master. The teacher has spoken to the inspector of his _protégé_, the rector bestirs himself in the matter, the minister even intervenes, encouragement and money aid alike are lavished upon the young fellow. His zeal increases, he redoubles his application, he passes all the examinations and gets all the honours possible, till the University has no more to teach. Teacher, rector, minister, all justly pride themselves in having done their duty by him. [Illustration: MEDAL OF THE FRENCH SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. Then the son of the workman begins his life in the world. Oh, how changed is everything to him now! Knowledge and industry are much, it is true, but there are still two applicants for every post, for every social function, and it is always the weaker, the less skilful, or rather perhaps the less fortunate, who goes to the wall. The State has no other situation to offer him, and there is a regular glut of brain-workers already in commerce and in manufacture. Still it is necessary to eat to live. It is easy to say “go back to the workshop or the plough,” but it is against human nature to do so; the cultivated brain, the matured intelligence, need the intellectual food to which they have become accustomed. The hands are too soft and delicate now for manual labour, nor are the muscles strong enough for it. One more embittered, discontented, unfortunate man has been produced, that is all, and who knows but that to-morrow he may astonish the world by some attempted crime or act of folly, the result of his despair, perhaps even of actual hunger? Am I making excuses for an anarchist? By no means. I have but proved the necessity of French colonial expansion in colonies of exploration.