W. Thou wilt see, Thomas, that what is nature, is not contradictory. I see that nature is just and true to all. I see that minds are not just and true to nature, because they are improperly cultivated. It is not natural for minds to fight each other. It is inconsistent with nature for one mind to control another, so as to wrong him--wrong both. Nature is well; but the wrong consists in not obeying her voice. No mind is wilfully ignorant or blind. The will is induced, sometimes, by ignorance and blindness. All will of wrong is induced by want of knowledge to perceive the injury it will occasion to the possessor and others. No mind can will what is seen will produce its own unhappiness, because it seeks its own good. To seek unhappiness would be inconsistent with its nature. To do wrong is to seek misery, because wrong induces misery. Ignorance is the father of misery, for it guides the possessor in the path of folly. When national or individual rights are invaded, it can only occur as ignorance misleads the invader. When human duty is not neglected, the invasion can not be made. Thou knowest, Thomas, that nature is good and just. Thou seest a chord of sympathy binding all minds together. This is nature. Teach minds this lesson, so that it shall see its relationship to mind, and it will not invade the rights of others; because such invasion would induce its own misery--a thing the mind must naturally dread. Had the millions which have been expended in war, been applied to the instruction of the ignorant in the philosophy of peace, little necessity would ever have existed to correct error with other errors, among which the wrong of war ranks foremost. The selfishness of despots and tyrants, would not exist under such a state of wisdom. T. But we must take things as they are, and govern them accordingly. W. I would not have thee take others as they are not, Thomas; but I would have thee understand, that the wisdom of this sphere is peaceful, and not compulsory. Thou seest no collision of minds, or disturbance among spirits. The government, which controls minds here without force, is a government more perfect than that thy mind justifieth. No spirit can be improved by evil. Evil is repugnant to its nature. Force against force is evil, because mind must harmonize with mind to be happy. The conflict of two minds is a disturbance of nature’s law, and whatever is a disturbance of nature’s law, is attended with consequences incongenial with happiness. T. That is true; but when minds are ignorant of the laws of nature, ignorant of the relation of mind to mind, and the essentials of bliss, they will trample on the rights of each other. Under such a condition of things, is it not wise to restrain by force the unwise and brutal?