contemporaneous disputes, the excitements of new scientific dis-coveries, or the rapid spread of economic and social theoriesthat may contain within themselves the germs of social salvationor destruction. We venture to predict that it will be the latterphases of 19th century development which will excite the mostcurious interest in the minds of future students of social progress,because the factor that has been active amidst the numerouscauses contributing so very largely to the amelioration of the lotof the human race—and under the influences of which it hasbenefited so enormously, and yet is not satisfied—will to a largodegree be hidden from superficial inspection. At no period inthe history of mankind has the task of labour been so light, orits reward so large and generous. And yet, notwithstandingthis, a wave of dissatisfaction 'with the new conditions seems,during the past few years, to have spread over the industrialworld. This has been followed by the development of a feelingof hostility to every one of the new and beneficent faotors ofprogress that have come into being during the century, whichthreatens their destruction. Is the basis of this movement agross mental delusion—a hideous nightmare—which has takenpossession for a time of the intellectual nature of the industrialclasses, and from which we may hope that in an early time theywill shake themselves free? This is our impression. We neednot wonder that the phenomena to which we have referred arebeginning to engage the earnest and careful attention of inquirersof high culture, independent thought, and philosophic minds,and that these are making careful inquisition into the facts inorder to discover whether the popular impression is in any sensejustified, or whether it is the delusion we believe it to be. If theformer, it will be incumbent upon those responsible for the con-duct of our political destinies to so guide the ship of State whichcarries our affairs that it shall not run upon breakers whose