But this latter period was also a period of a great uprising of the specially human virtues of justice, of pity, of the love of freedom, and of the importance of education; and though the rapid increase of wealth through the utilisation of natural forces led to all the evils due to the unchecked growth of individual riches and power, yet these very evils in all their intensity and horror were perhaps necessary to excite in a sufficient number of minds the determination to get rid of them. Time was also required for the workers to learn their own power, and, very gradually, to learn how to use it. The rick-burning and machine-breaking of the early part of the century have been succeeded by combination and strikes; step by step political power has been gained by the masses; but only now, in the twentieth century, are they beginning to learn how to use their strength in an effective manner. There are, however, indications that the whole march of progress has been dangerously rapid, and it _might_ have been safer if the great increases of knowledge and the vast accumulations of wealth had been spread over two centuries instead of one. In that case our higher nature might have been able to keep pace with the growing evils of superfluous wealth and increasing luxury, and it might have been possible to put a check upon them before they had attained the full power for evil they now possess. Nevertheless, the omens for the future are good. The great body of the more intelligent workers are determined to have JUSTICE. They insist upon the abolition of monopolies of the forces of nature, and upon the gradual admission of all to _equal opportunities_ for labour by free access to their native soil. Thus may be initiated the birth of a new era of peaceful reform and moral advancement. NOTE.—As many of my readers may not understand the allusions in the second verse of Mr. Dell's poem (pp. 117-118), I append the explanation: "The Porch," the place where the Stoic philosophers taught—The Painted Porch in Athens. "The Garden," scene of Plato's and Socrates' teaching. Zeno was the founder of the Stoic philosophy. Pyrrho was the founder of the Sceptic school. Philip of Macedon lost an eye at the siege of Methone by a slinger's pebble. Melitus was one of the disputants with Socrates, and was always vanquished by him. Dionysius, the Tyrant of Syracuse, was also a Poet and was a candidate for the prize at the Olympic games, but was conquered and therefore feared the more skilful "stylus" (pen) of the victors. Tyrtæus, a lame schoolmaster of Athens, inspired the Lacedæmonians by his patriotic war-songs, and thus contributed largely to their victories. CHAPTER XVI MORAL PROGRESS THROUGH A NEW FORM OF SELECTION