In fine, stability of institutions must depend upon stability of
character. Any number of depraved units cannot form a great
nation. The people may seem to be highly civilised, and yet be
ready to fall to pieces at first touch of adversity. Without
integrity of individual character, they can have no real strength,
cohesion, soundness. They may be rich, polite, and artistic; and
yet hovering on the brink of ruin. If living for themselves only,
and with no end but pleasure--each little self his own little god
--such a nation is doomed, and its decay is inevitable.

Where national character ceases to be upheld, a nation may be
regarded as next to lost. Where it ceases to esteem and to
practise the virtues of truthfulness, honesty, integrity, and
justice, it does not deserve to live. And when the time arrives
in any country when wealth has so corrupted, or pleasure so
depraved, or faction so infatuated the people, that honour, order,
obedience, virtue, and loyalty have seemingly become things of the
past; then, amidst the darkness, when honest men--if, haply,
there be such left--are groping about and feeling for each
other's hands, their only remaining hope will be in the
restoration and elevation of Individual Character; for by that
alone can a nation be saved; and if character be irrecoverably
lost, then indeed there will be nothing left worth saving.



NOTES

(1) Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, Lord High Treasurer under Elizabeth
and James I.