THE NATION AND THE LABOURER. 31

individuals which is distinguished by having physical
labour as the principal business of his terrestrial existence.
The individual thus labours physically from necessity, and
for the purpose of supplying the daily requirements of
lis life. The class he belongs to is less highly educated
than the mercantile and wealthy classes of the community,
 and from deficiency of education is, as a class,
incapable of intellectual labour of the higher description.
In correctly appreciating this definition it is important to
remember that the labouring class, as it now presents
itself for consideration, although in a less intellectually
developed condition than other sections of the community,
 has nevertheless progressed educationally, and.
within the last fifty years especially, has done so with
considerable rapidity. At the same time the intellectual
developement of the other sections having also progressed,
the relative difference, although probably somewhat
diminished, has not undergone any very considerable
diminution. Let us now consider the question. . What
rights has the labourer as against the individuals
collectively, belonging to the other sections of the
community or nation? A very little consideration
makes apparent that the answer to this question must
be dependent upon, not only the intellectual relation of
the labouring class to the other sections, but more particularly
 upon the recognition or non-recognition of the
higher law by those other sections. Let us for the
moment suppose the intellectual relation to be on the
part of the labouring class, that of human intelligence
almost wholly undeveloped by education, and on the
part of the other sections an intellicence highly