Or perhaps, thirdly, the real secret of our dominion is force of arms. It may be that we have submitted ourselves to a more iron discipline, and discharged the claims of the national service more fully than other peoples. Thus we have been able to reap a victory over our enemies, war being the substance of our rulership, and our sceptre the sword.
But this third proposition that genius in arms has founded and maintains our fortune, though it too must have some element of truth in it, is not more satisfactory than the others, and cannot stand the test of a cursory glance. For it must be immediately plain to the most casual student of our history that militarism is not our characteristic. The ruler who did his best to instil the genuine martial spirit into the nation was Cromwell, and his failure was so complete that reaction against his system has left a mark scarcely yet effaced upon our policy and character. Of all the measures which accompanied the Restoration, the disbanding of Cromwell's army was the most popular. The two succeeding Stuart sovereigns endeavoured to imitate his example, but the force of men organised by James II. furnished one of the gravest indictments against him. Hence both parties could vie in rebuking and rooting out militarism. One side execrated the Stuarts, and the other anathematised the Protector, so that the army was the scapegoat for the sins of the whole political world.
