working classes in Lancashire makes me sure that they will respond to this appeal.  Much, also, may be expected from that sympathy between classes which is a distinctive feature of the present day; and, in the last place, no inconsiderable results may be obtained by judicious and prudent legislation.  But, gentlemen, in attempting to legislate upon social matters, the great object is to be practical—­to have before us some distinct aims and some distinct means by which they can be accomplished.

Gentlemen, I think public attention as regards these matters ought to be concentrated upon sanitary legislation.  That is a wide subject, and, if properly treated, comprises almost every consideration which has a just claim upon legislative interference.  Pure air, pure water, the inspection of unhealthy habitations, the adulteration of food,—­these and many kindred matters may be legitimately dealt with by the legislature; and I am bound to say the legislature is not idle upon them; for we have at this time two important measures before Parliament on the subject.  One—­by a late colleague of mine, Sir Charles Adderley—­is a large and comprehensive measure, founded upon a sure basis, for it consolidates all existing public acts, and improves them.  A prejudice has been raised against that proposal, by stating that it interferes with the private acts of the great towns.  I take this opportunity of contradicting that.  The bill of Sir Charles Adderley does not touch the acts of the great towns.  It only allows them, if they think fit, to avail themselves of its new provisions.

The other measure by the government is of a partial character.  What it comprises is good, so far as it goes, but it shrinks from that bold consolidation of existing acts which I think one of the great merits of Sir Charles Adderley’s bill, which permits us to become acquainted with how much may be done in favor of sanitary improvement by existing provisions.  Gentlemen, I cannot impress upon you too strongly my conviction of the importance of the legislature and society uniting together in favor of these important results.  A great scholar and a great wit, three hundred years ago, said that, in his opinion, there was a great mistake in the Vulgate, which, as you all know, is the Latin translation of the Holy Scriptures, and that, instead of saying “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”—­Vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas—­the wise and witty king really said:"Sanitas sanitatum, omnia sanitas.”  Gentlemen, it is impossible to overrate the importance of the subject.  After all the first consideration of a minister should be the health of the people.  A land may be covered with historic trophies, with museums of science and galleries of art, with universities and with libraries; the people may be civilized and ingenious; the country may be even famous in the annals and action of the world, but, gentlemen, if the population every ten years decreases, and the stature of the race every ten years diminishes, the history of that country will soon be the history of the past.