204

LIFE CF COBDER,

Tomar.

1841. republic is undeniably the most rational form of government
gr »7. for free men. But I doubt whether I should enhance my
power of usefulness by advocating that form of government
for England. But whilst I do not think I should act wisely
by putting forth all I think, in a practical way I so far
admit the principle that T would not advocate the opposite
of what I am convinced is the truth abstractedly. And this
brings me to my old ground of trying to do one thing at &
time. By this I mean merely that I have an aptitude for
certain questions. Other people have a talent for others,
and I think a division of labour is necessary for success in
political, as in industrial life.’ ?
This wise economy brought its reward. Cobden did not
carry the world with him in his own lifetime, but what he
did by his method was to bring certain principles of human
progress into line with the actual politics of the day. He
did not create a majority, but he achieved the first difficult
step of creating a strong minority, and this not merely of
sympathizers in the closet, but of active followers in the
nation.
It was what he called his wisdom of the serpent that gave
Cobden his power in the other arts of a successful agitator,
which are less conspicuous but hardly less indispensable,
than commanding or persuasive oratory. He applied the
same qualities in the actual business of the League which he
brought to bear in his speeches. He was indefatigable in
his industry, fertile in ingenious devices for bringing the
sbjects of the League before the country, constantly on the
alert for surprising a hostile post, never losing & chance of
burning a foe or a neutral into a friend, and never allowing
his interest about the end for which he was working, to
confuse his vigilant concentration upon the mesns. The
danger of great confoderecies like the League is that they

Tu the Bev, Thomas Spencer, April 83, 154%