The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

—;DISORGANIZATION OF SPAIN. 485tion in the stature and the physical powers of Frenchmen.In 178.9 the height for the infantry sohlier in France was5 feet 1 inch. The law of March 21, 1832, fixed the heightat 4 feet 9 inches 10 lines. It was not without reason thatthe re(juired height was reduced. From 18o9 to 1845 therewere on an average 37,326 recruits a-year fit for service, whostood less than 5 feet 1 inch French ; and if the ancient heighthad been required, it would have been necessary to sendaway, as improper for service, one-half of the men called onto perform their turn of duty. In the seven classes calledout from 1839 to 1845 there were 491,000 men exempted,and only 486,000 declared fit for service ; whereas in theseventeen classes from 1831 to 1837 there had been only459,000 exempted, and 504,000 declared fit for serviceshowing that in France the health as well as the stature ofthe people has declined. M. Raudot proves from the judicialstatistics a similar downward course in morals. In1827, the first year in which a return was made of suicides,the number was 1542 ; in 1847 the number was 3647. In1826 the tribunals tried only 108,390 cases, and 159,740prisoners ; in 1847 the number of cases had risen to 184,922,and of prisoners to 239,291. This is a sad statement. M.Raudot investigates all the elements of a nation*'s power,population, army, navy, wealth, commerce, health, publicforce, morals ; and his finding is the same in all,—DECA-DENCE.But, would we see how greata wreck Popery is fitted tocreate, we must turn to Spain. Place a stranger on thesummit of the gray rampart formed by the Pyrenees ;him mark the rich valleys of Spain winding at his feet, andexpanding, as they wind, into the fertile plains of Arragonand Navarre ; bid him mark how on the north this rich andbeauteous land is bounded by the magnificent mountainwallon which he stands, while on the south it is mistress ofthe keys of the Mediterranean, still the highway of theworld's commerce, and on the west receives the waves ofthe Atlantic ; tell him that the country on which he isbid