In Catholic days we fought because we enjoyed it, and made no
pretences; since the Reformation we have fought for Jehovah."
"I suppose," said Piers, "the English are the least Christian of all
so-called Christian peoples."
"Undoubtedly. They simply don't know the meaning of the prime
Christian virtue--humility. But that's neither here nor there, in
talking of progress. You remember Goldsmith--
'Pride in their port, defiance in their eye,
I see the lords of human kind pass by.'
"Our pride has been a good thing, on the whole. Whether it will still
be, now that it's so largely the pride of riches, let him say who is
alive fifty years hence."
He paused and added gravely:
"I'm afraid the national character is degenerating. We were always
too fond of liquor, and Heaven knows our responsibility for
drunkenness all over the world; but worse than that is our gambling.
You may drink and be a fine fellow; but every gambler is a sneak,
and possibly a criminal. We're beginning, now, to gamble for slices
of the world. We're getting base, too, in our grovelling before the
millionaire--who as often as not has got his money vilely. This
sort of thing won't do for 'the lords of human kind.' Our pride, if
we don't look out, will turn to bluffing and bullying. I'm afraid we
govern selfishly where we've conquered. We hear dark things of
India, and worse of Africa.
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