PAGE INTRODUCTION xi THE SOUL OF A PEOPLE 3 SELF-RELIANCE AND THE REPUBLIC 31 FAIR PLAY AND DEMOCRACY 71 WILL-POWER, WORK, AND WEALTH 113 COMMON ORDER AND SOCIAL COÖPERATION 151 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION 195 SELF-EXPRESSION AND LITERATURE 239 INTRODUCTION There is an ancient amity between France and America, which is recorded in golden letters in the chronicles of human liberty. In one of the crowded squares of New York there stands a statue of a young nobleman, slender, elegant, and brave, springing forward to offer his sword to the cause of freedom. The name under that figure is La Fayette. In one of the broad avenues of Paris there stands a statue of a plain gentleman, grave, powerful, earnest, sitting his horse like a victor and lifting high his sword to salute the star of France. The name under that figure is Washington. It is well that in both lands such a friendship between two great peoples should be "Immortalized by art's immortal praise." It is better still that it should be warmed and strengthened by present efforts for the common good: that the world should see the two great republics standing together for justice and fair play at Algeciras, working together for the world's peace at the Congress of the Hague. But in order that a friendship like this should really continue and increase, there must be something more than a sentimental sympathy. There must be a mutual comprehension, a real understanding, between the two peoples. Romantic love, the little _Amor_ with the bow and arrows, may be as blind as the painters and novelists represent him. But true friendship, the strong god _Amicitia_, is open-eyed and clear-sighted. So long as Frenchmen insist upon looking at America merely as the country of the Sky-scraper and the Almighty Dollar, so long as Americans insist upon regarding France merely as the home of the Yellow Novel and the Everlasting Dance, so long will it be difficult for the ancient amity between these two countries to expand and deepen into a true and vital concord. France and America must know each other better. They must learn to look each into the other's mind, to read each the other's heart. They must recognize each other less by their foibles and more by their faiths, less by the factors of national weakness and more by the elements of national strength. Then, indeed, I hope and believe they will be good and faithful friends.