THE NATION AND THE LABOURER. 33

also undertake the duties and responsibilities belonging
to it? Is he trustful in those who have benefited him ?
Does he endeavour to fit himself for the privileges and
duties of a higher condition # Is he unselfish and sympathizing
 towards those less fortunate than himself? Does
he with patience and forbearance endeavour to assist
those who endeavour to assist him? If he does so recognize
 the higher law, and thus fit himself for a more
intellectual condition in life, then his right will be to
possess and enjoy the advantages belonging to such condition.
 But if, on the contrary, he does not recoguize
‘he higher law and says within himself, ¢ that man is
ticher than I am; he is keeping my property from me;
[ have as much right to it as he has; all men are born
equal :—let us combine to take this wealth away from the
rich and divide it amongst us.’ In such case the higher
law would become abrogated, and the terrestrial law of
man’s natural existence would again come into full force—
that terrestrial law of God, which gives to intellectual
strength the dominion over the whole Creation of the
natural world.
Let us now, assuming that the higher law is fully
recognized and that, by endeavouring to qualify himself,
the labourer has become entitled to the full benefits of
the higher law, consider what modifications could be most
readily made in the existing conditions under which the
life of the labourer in the most civilized countries is now
passed, which would enable him to take a larger share
in the advantages and pleasures belonging to the intellectual
 existence. The conditions, broadly stated, which
on a general survey of the circumstances, appear to bar