John Adam Cramb was born at Denny, in Scotland, on the 4th of May, 1862. On leaving school he went to Glasgow University, where he graduated in 1885, taking 1st Class Honours in Classics. In the same year he was appointed to the Luke Fellowship in English Literature. He also studied at Bonn University. He subsequently travelled on the Continent, and in 1887 married the third daughter of the late Mr. Edward W. Selby Lowndes of Winslow, and left one son. From 1888 to 1890 he was Lecturer in Modern History at Queen Margaret College, Glasgow. Settling in London in 1890 he contributed several articles to the _Dictionary of National Biography_, and also occasional reviews to periodicals. For many years he was an examiner for the Civil Service Commission. In 1892 he was appointed Lecturer and in 1893 Professor of Modern History at Queen's College, London, where he lectured until his death. He was also an occasional lecturer on military history at the Staff College, Camberley, and at York, Chatham, and other centres. In London he gave private courses on history, literature, and philosophy. His last series of lectures was delivered in February and March, 1913, the subject being the relations between England and Germany. In response to many requests he was engaged in preparing these lectures for publication when, in October, 1913, he died. CONTENTS PART I THE TESTIMONY OF THE PAST LECTURE I SECTION WHAT IS IMPERIALISM? 1. THE UNCONSCIOUS AND THE CONSCIOUS IN HISTORY 2. ANCIENT AND MODERN IMPERIALISM 3. THE MANDATE OF DESTINY LECTURE II THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL IDEAL 1. OF THE ACTION OF STATES AND OF INDIVIDUALS 2. THE LAW OF TRAGEDY AS APPLIED TO HISTORY 3. THE LAW OF TRAGEDY: ITS SECOND ASPECT LECTURE III THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELIGIOUS IDEAL 1. RELIGION AND IMPERIALISM 2. THE PLACE OF RELIGION IN ENGLISH HISTORY 3. DISTINCTION OF THE RELIGION OF THE VIKINGS 4. WORLD-HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ENGLISH REFORMATION 5. THE TESTIMONY OF THE PAST: A FINAL CONSIDERATION PART II THE DESTINY OF IMPERIAL BRITAIN LECTURE IV THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA 1. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. NATIONALITY AND IMPERIALISM 3. THE WAR OF A DEMOCRACY 4. COSMOPOLITANISM AND JINGOISM 5. MILITARISM LECTURE V WHAT IS WAR? 1. THE PLACE OF WAR IN WORLD-HISTORY 2. DEFINITION OF WAR 3. COUNT TOLSTOI AND CARLYLE UPON WAR 4. COUNT TOLSTOI AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SLAVONIC GENIUS 5. THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST AND WAR 6. THE IDEAL OF UNIVERSAL PEACE 7. IMPERIALISM AND WAR LECTURE VI THE VICISSITUDES OF STATES AND EMPIRES 1. THE METAPHYSICAL ORIGIN OF THE STATE 2. THE STATE, EMPIRES, AND ART 3. THE FALL OF EMPIRES: THE THEORY OF RETRIBUTION 4. THE FALL OF EMPIRES: THE CYCLIC THEORY 5. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE "FALL OF AN EMPIRE"? LECTURE VII THE DESTINY OF IMPERIAL BRITAIN AND THE DESTINY OF MAN 1. THE PRESENT STAGE IN THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL BRITAIN