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d young gentlemen we will give it up； and let the attorneys take it？
Is there no value； then； in human things； but what can write itself down in the cash…ledger？ All men know； and even M'Croudy in his inarticulate heart knows； that to men and Nations there are invaluable values which cannot be sold for money at all。 George Robins is great； but he is not onmipotent。 George Robins cannot quite sell Heaven and Earth by auction； excellent though he be at the business。 Nay； if M'Croudy offered his own life for _sale_ in Threadneedle Street； would anybody buy it？ Not I； for one。 〃Nobody bids： pass on to the next lot；〃 answers Robins。 And yet to M'Croudy this unsalable lot is worth all the Universe：nay； I believe； to us also it is worth something； good monitions； as to several things； do lie in this Professor of the dismal science； and considerable sums even of money； not to speak of other benefit； will yet come out of his life and him； for which nobody bids！ Robins has his own field where he reigns triumphant； but to that we will restrict him with iron limits； and neither Colonies nor the lives of Professors； nor other such invaluable objects shall come under his hammer。
Bad state of the ledger will demonstrate that your way of dealing with your Colonies is absurd； and urgently in want of reform； but to demonstrate that the Empire itself must be dismembered to bring the ledger straight？ Oh never。 Something else than the ledger must intervene to do that。 Why does not England repudiate Ireland； and insist on the 〃Repeal；〃 instead of prohibiting it under death…penalties？ Ireland has never been a paying speculation yet； nor is it like soon to be！ Why does not Middlesex repudiate Surrey； and Chelsea Kensington； and each county and each parish； and in the end each individual set up for himself and his cash…box； repudiating the other and his； because their mutual interests have got into an irritating course？ They must change the course； seek till they discover a soothing one； that is the remedy； when limbs of the same body come to irritate one another。 Because the paltry tatter of a garment； reticulated for you out of thrums and listings in Downing Street； ties foot and hand together in an intolerable manner； will you relieve yourself by cutting off the hand or the foot？ You will cut off the paltry tatter of a pretended body…coat； I think； and fling that to the nettles； and imperatively require one that fits your size better。
Miserabler theory than that of money on the ledger being the primary rule for Empires； or for any higher entity than City owls and their mice…catching； cannot well be propounded。 And I would by no means advise Felicissimus； ill at ease on his high…trotting and now justly impatient Sleswicker； to let the poor horse in its desperation go in that direction for a momentary solace。 If by lumber…log Governors； by Godfrey's cordial Constitutions or otherwise； be contrived to cut off the Colonies or any real right the big British Empire has in her Colonies； both he and the British Empire will bitterly repent it one day！ The Sleswicker； relieved in ledger for a moment； will find that it is wounded in heart and honor forever； and the turning of its wild forehoofs upon Felicissimus as he lies in the ditch combed off； is not a thing I like to think of！ Britain； whether it be known to Felicissimus or not； has other tasks appointed her in God's Universe than the making of money； and woe will betide her if she forget those other withal。 Tasks； colonial and domestic； which are of an eternally _divine_ nature； and compared with which all money； and all that is procurable by money； are in strict arithmetic an imponderable quantity； have been assigned this Nation； and they also at last are coming upon her again； clamorous； abstruse； inevitable； much to her bewilderment just now！
This poor Nation； painfully dark about said tasks and the way of doing them； means to keep its Colonies nevertheless； as things which somehow or other must have a value； were it better seen into。 They are portions of the general Earth； where the children of Britain now dwell； where the gods have so far sanctioned their endeavor； as to say that they have a right to dwell。 England will not readily admit that her own children are worth nothing but to be flung out of doors！ England looking on her Colonies can say： 〃Here are lands and seas； spice…lands； corn…lands； timber…lands； overarched by zodiacs and stars； clasped by many…sounding seas； wide spaces of the Maker's building； fit for the cradle yet of mighty Nations and their Sciences and Heroisms。 Fertile continents still inhabited by wild beasts are mine； into which all the distressed populations of Europe might pour themselves； and make at once an Old World and a New World human。 By the eternal fiat of the gods； this must yet one day be； this； by all the Divine Silences that rule this Universe； silent to fools； eloquent and awful to the hearts of the wise； is incessantly at this moment； and at all moments； commanded to begin to be。 Unspeakable deliverance； and new destiny of thousand…fold expanded manfulness for all men； dawns out of the Future here。 To me has fallen the godlike task of initiating all that： of me and of my Colonies； the abstruse Future asks； Are you wise enough for so sublime a destiny？ Are you too foolish？〃
That you ask advice of whatever wisdom is to be had in the Colony； and even take note of what _un_wisdom is in it； and record that too as an existing fact； will certainly be very advantageous。 But I suspect the kind of Parliament that will suit a Colony is much of a secret just now！ Mr。 Wakefield； a democratic man in all fibres of him； and acquainted with Colonial Socialities as few are； judges that the franchise for your Colonial Parliament should be decidedly select； and advises a high money…qualification； as there is in all Colonies a fluctuating migratory mass； not destitute of money； but very much so of loyalty； permanency； or civic availability； whom it is extremely advantageous not to consult on what you are about attempting for the Colony or Mother Country。 This I can well believe；and also that a 〃high money…qualification；〃 in the present sad state of human affairs； might be some help to you in selecting； though whether even that would quite certainly bring 〃wisdom；〃 the one thing indispensable； is much a question with me。 It might help； it might help！ And if by any means you could （which you cannot） exclude the Fourth Estate； and indicate decisively that Wise Advice was the thing wanted here； and Parliamentary Eloquence was not the thing wanted anywhere just now；there might really some light of experience and human foresight； and a truly valuable benefit； be found for you in such assemblies。
And there is one thing； too apt to be forgotten； which it much behooves us to remember： In the Colonies； as everywhere else in this world； the vital point is not who decides； but what is decided on！ That measures tending really to the best advantage temporal and spiritual of the Colony be adopted； and strenuously put in execution； there lies the grand interest of every good citizen British and Colonial。 Such measures； whosoever have originated and prescribed them； will gradually be sanctioned by all men and gods； and clamors of every kind in reference to them may safely to a great extent be neglected； as clamorous merely； and sure to be transient。 Colonial Governor； Colonial Parliament； whoever or whatever does an injustice； or resolves on an _un_wisdom； he is the pernicious object； however parliamentary he be！
I have known things done； in this or the other Colony； in the most parliamentary way before now； which carried written on the brow of them sad symptoms of eternal reprobation； not to be mistaken； had you painted an inch thick。 In Montreal； for example； at this moment； standing amid the ruins of the 〃Elgin Marbles〃 （as they call the burnt walls of the Parliament House there）； what rational British soul but is forced to institute the mournfulest constitutional reflection？ Some years ago the Canadas； probably not without materials for discontent； and blown upon by skilful artists； blazed up into crackling of musketry； open flame of rebellion； a thing smacking of the gallows in all countries that pretend to have any 〃Government。〃 Which flame of rebellion； had there been no loyal population to fling themselves upon it at peril of their life； might have ended we know not how。 It ended speedily； in the good way； Canada got a Godfrey's…cordial Constitution； and for the moment all was varnished into some kind of feasibility again。 A most poor feasibility； momentary； not lasting； nor like to be of profit to Canada！ For this year； the Canadian most constitutional Parliament； such a congeries of persons as one can imagine； decides that the aforesaid flame of rebellion shall not only be forgotten as per bargain； but thatthe loyal population； who flung their lives upon it and quenched it in the nick of time； shall pay the rebels their damages！ Of this； I believe； on sadly conclusive evidence； there is no doubt whatever。 Such； when you wash off the constitutional pigments； is the Death's…head that discloses itself。 I can only say； if all the Parlia