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enough and intelligence enough, if we on our part will provide one thing, the easiest of all if we really set our minds to it— an effective and authoritative government. It is not safe even for ourselves to leave a wound unattended to, though it be in the least significant part of our bodies. The West Indies are a small limb in the great body corporate of the British Empire, but there is no great and no small in the life of nations. The avoidable decay of the smallest member is an injury to the whole. Let it be once known and felt that England regards the West Indies as essentially one with herself, and the English in the islands will resume their natural position, and respect and order will come back, and those once thriving colonies will again advance with the rest on the high road of civilisation and prosperity. Let it be known that England considers only her immediate interests and will not exert herself, and the other colonies will know what they have to count upon, and the British Empire will dwindle down before long into a single insigni ficant island in the North Sea. So end the reflections which I formed there from what I saw and what I heard. I have written as an outside observer unconnected with practical politics, with no motive except a loyal pride in the greatness of my own country, and a conviction, which I will not believe to be a dream, that the destinies have still in store for her a yet grander future. The units of us come and go ; the British Empire, the globe itself and all that it inherits, will pass away as a vision. ???????
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The day will be when Ilium's towers m a y fall, And large-limbed Priam, and his people all. 1
But that day cannot be yet. Out of the now half-organic fragments will yet be formed one living Imperial power, 1
I believe this to be the true meaning of ??µµ????s. It is usually ren dered, ‘ armed with a stout spear.’