how fallen into our lap. So that what wealth we have, is rather a result, than the cause, of our place in the world.
If, then, this first account is unsatisfactory, a second presents itself, of a nature opposite to the first. The reason of England's importance might conceivably be traced to her adhesion to the principles of our religion. Nevertheless, it is open to grave doubt whether this is the precise origin of our national prosperity.
For, to begin with, since the empire of Christianity is declared to be not of this world, there is no essential connection between it and national success. But, apart from this, it is a matter of fact that it was not the impulse of the Christian faith which won us so much. Doubtless, great empires have been raised on a directly religious foundation, but not that of England. For, to start with, the latter has been mainly acquired in conflict with the leading powers of Europe, who are Christian like ourselves, so that no religious issue was involved in the struggle between them and us. Then again, if we consider the history of our most important achievement, the Indian Empire, we have always particularly disclaimed, truly enough, any religious motive for our conquest and tenure of Hindustan. Such an announcement is due to our knowledge that any attempt upon the part of our government to proselytise those populations would lead to an explosion of the most dangerous and incalculable kind. That declaration
