THE ESSAY which constitutes this volume was, under the title of 'The England of Today,' read last Autumn and Winter by the author in various parts of the United States and Canada to audiences ranging in number of attendants from five hundred to twentyfive hundred persons. The author's reasons for so frankly reviewing among foreigners the less favourable conditions of English society are fairly stated in the lecture. He selected such topics as he thought would reflect some lessons upon questions of vital interest to Americans or colonists. The author deems it unnecessary, in an age which is conspicuous for the study of vi comparative politics, to offer any explanation to his countrymen of the candour with which he has treated among foreigners of national evils and weaknesses which he has never hesitated to expose at home. Some petty growls in one or two small provincial communities, from people who, for want of any definite idea in politics, consider a vague ultra-loyalty to be equivalent to a whole scheme of economy and general political Apostle's-creed, were too insignificant to deserve notice at the hands of anyone who mixed in Imperial politics, and were too much involved with narrow and mean local prejudices to be taken as an indication of the opinion of any intelligent British society. But, though he has nothing to apologise for, it is just that the author's statements should be reviewed by the British public, and if false, be corrected-if improperly applied, be confuted. Hence the lecture is published precisely as it was given in one or other of the great cities of America. The whole, as vii here presented, was obviously too long for any single evening, and therefore different passages were selected to be delivered in different cities; but they were read as here produced, and the lecture in the aggregate is correctly reported. The author has another object in publishing this lecture just now to the English public. It was prepared by an Englishman familiar with American life and institutions, to be read to Americans, and he was perforce obliged to look at the condition of England rather from the point of view of an outsider than of an Englishman. Hence he believes that, at this particular juncture, the lecture will be valuable as a fresh, simple, and comprehensive review of the difficulties in the way of the Reform party in England. In its present situation, the more frequently and variously that party may be reminded of the work before it, the better heart may it pluck up to endeavour to redeem itself from its defeat. |