of an individual.  If any number of States agree to observe a common set of international laws, they have, in fact, set up a sovereign authority or supra-national government, the end of which, like that of all governments, is the good of mankind; and the possession of as much freedom by each State, as is consistent with the attainment of that end.  But there is this difference:  that the government thus set up over nations is ideal, and has no concrete representative of the sovereign power; whence the only way of settling any dispute finally is to fight it out.  Thus the supra-national society is continually in danger of returning to the state of nature, in which contracts are void; and the possibility of this contingency justifies a government in restricting the liberty of its subjects in many ways that would otherwise be unjustifiable.

Finally, with respect to the advancement of science and art.  I have never yet had the good fortune to hear any valid reason alleged why that corporation of individuals we call the State may not do what voluntary effort fails in doing, either from want of intelligence or lack of will.  And here it cannot be alleged that the action of the State is always hurtful.  On the contrary, in every country in Europe, universities, public libraries, picture galleries, museums, and laboratories, have been established by the State, and have done infinite service to the intellectual and moral progress and the refinement of mankind.

A few days ago I received from one of the most eminent members of the Institut of France a pamphlet entitled “Pourquoi la France n’a pas trouve d’hommes superieurs au moment du peril.”  The writer, M. Pasteur, has no doubt that the cause of the astounding collapse of his countrymen is to be sought in the miserable neglect of the higher branches of culture, which has been one of the many disgraces of the Second Empire, if not of its predecessors.

“Au point ou nous sommes arrives de ce qu’on appelle la civilisation moderne, la culture des sciences dans leur expression la plus elevee est peut-etre plus necessaire encore a l’etat moral d’une nation qu’a sa prosperite materielle.

“Les grandes decouvertes, les meditations de la pensee dans les arts, dans les sciences et dans les lettres, en un mot les travaux desinteresses de l’esprit dans tous les genres, les centres d’enseignement propres a les faire connaitre, introduisent dans le corps social tout entier l’esprit philosophique ou scientifique, cet esprit de discernement qui soumet tout a une raison severe, condamne l’ignorance, dissipe les prejuges et les erreurs.  Ils elevent le niveau intellectuel, le sentiment moral; par eux, l’idee divine elle-meme se repand et s’exalte....  Si, au moment du peril supreme, la France n’a pas trouve des hommes superieurs pour mettre en oeuvre ses ressources et le courage de ses enfants, il faut l’attribuer, j’en ai la conviction, a ce que la France EST desinteressee, depuis un