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A League of Nations 637alone support and give security and some kind of psychologicalreality to even the most ideal arrangement of his outer life, —how far that has gone or is likely to go in the near future, orwhat means or opportunities the new order proposes to offerfor its growth and satisfaction. But this is no doubt too esoterica way of looking at things. The practical western mind doesnot trouble itself overmuch with these subtleties; it prefers, andrightly enough, since to get something done seems to be the chiefactual business of man in life, to hasten to the matter in handand realise something useful, visible and tangible, good enoughfor a practical beginning or step forward. It believes besides inthe omnipotence of law and institution to make the life of manconformable to his intellectual or spiritual ideals; it is satisfied ifit can write down and find sanctions for a good and convenientsystem of laws, a compact or constitution, set up the mechanicalmeans for the enforcement of its idea, build into effective form aworkable institution. Other less palpable things, if they are at allindispensable, are expected to develop of themselves, as surelythey ought under good mechanical conditions.Good philosophical as well as practical justification may beput forward for this attitude. Form after all is an effective suggestionto the soul; machinery, as even churches and religions havebeen prone to believe, is all-powerful and can be trusted to createwhatever you may need of the spirit. God himself or contrivingNature had first to invent the machinery and form of a universeand could only then work out in its mould some figure of thespirit. Therefore the sign of great hope, the good tidings of peaceand good will unto men is not that a new and diviner or simplya more human spirit has been born into humanity, seized uponits leaders and extended itself among its ego-ridden, passiondriven,interest-governed millions, but that an institution hasbeen begotten at Paris with the blessings of Premiers and Presidents,— the constitution of an international society, supportedby the armed force of great nations and empires and thereforesure to be practicable, prosper and succeed, has been got intoshape which will make war, militarism, oppression, exploitationan ugly dream of the past, induce Capital and Labour, lion and