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t and unremitted is our forced application； that our minds are dwarfed for everything except the prosecution of the one universal pursuit。
Are we now prepared for the completing of the contrast？ Must we say that； as Athens was the most leisurely and the United States is the most hurried community known in history； so the Americans are； as a consequence of their hurry； lacking in thoroughness of culture？ Or； since it is difficult to bring our modern culture directly into contrast with that of an ancient community； let me state the case after a different but equivalent fashion。 Since the United States present only an exaggerated type of the modern industrial community； since the turmoil of incessant money…getting； which affects all modern communities in large measure； affects us most seriously of all； shall it be said that we are； on the whole； less highly cultivated than our contemporaries in Western Europe？ To a certain extent we must confess that this is the case。 In the higher culturein the culture of the whole man； according to the antique ideawe are undoubtedly behind all other nations with which it would be fair to compare ourselves。 It will not do to decide a question like this merely by counting literary celebrities； although even thus we should by no means get a verdict in our favour。 Since the beginning of this century； England has produced as many great writers and thinkers as France or Germany； yet the general status of culture in England is saidperhaps with truthto be lower than it is in these countries。 It is said that the average Englishman is less ready than the average German or Frenchman to sympathize with ideas which have no obvious market…value。 Yet in England there is an amount of high culture among those not professionally scholars； which it would be vain to seek among ourselves。 The purposes of my argument； however； require that the comparison should be made between our own country and Western Europe in general。 Compare； then； our best magazinesnot solely with regard to their intrinsic excellence； but also with regard to the way in which they are sustainedwith the Revue des Deux Mondes or the Journal des Debats。 Or compare our leading politicians with men like Gladstone； Disraeli； or Sir G。 C。 Lewis； or even with such men as Brougham or Thiers。 Or compare the slovenly style of our newspaper articles； I will not say with the exquisite prose of the lamented Prevost…Paradol； but with the ordinary prose of the French or English newspaper。 But a far better illustrationfor it goes down to the root of thingsis suggested by the recent work of Matthew Arnold on the schools of the continent of Europe。 The country of our time where the general culture is unquestionably the highest is Prussia。 Now； in Prussia； they are able to have a Minister of Education； who is a member of the Cabinet。 They are sure that this minister will not appoint or remove even an assistant professor for political reasons。 Only once； as Arnold tells us； has such a thing been done； and then public opinion expressed itself in such an emphatic tone of disapproval that the displaced teacher was instantly appointed to another position。 Nothing of this sort； says Arnold； could have occurred in England； but still less could it occur in America。 Had we such an educational system； there would presently be an 〃Education Ring〃 to control it。 Nor can this difference be ascribed to the less eager political activity of Germany。 The Prussian state of things would have been possible in ancient Athens； where political life was as absorbing and nearly as turbulent as in the United States。 The difference is due to our lack of faith in culture； a lack of faith in that of which we have not had adequate experience。
We lack culture because we live in a hurry； and because our attention is given up to pursuits which call into activity and develop but one side of us。 On the one hand contemplate Sokrates quietly entertaining a crowd in the Athenian market…place； and on the other hand consider Broadway with its eternal clatter； and its throngs of hurrying people elbowing and treading on each other's heels； and you will get a lively notion of the difference between the extreme phases of ancient and modern life。 By the time we have thus rushed through our day； we have no strength left to devote to things spiritual。 To…day finds us no nearer fruition than yesterday。 And if perhaps the time at last arrives when fruition is practicable； our minds have run so long in the ruts that they cannot be twisted out。
As it is impossible for any person living in a given state of society to keep himself exempt from its influences； detrimental as well as beneficial； we find that even those who strive to make a literary occupation subservient to purposes of culture are not； save in rare cases； spared by the general turmoil。 Those who have at once the ability； the taste； and the wealth needful for training themselves to the accomplishment of some many…sided and permanent work are of course very few。 Nor have our universities yet provided themselves with the means for securing to literary talent the leisure which is essential to complete mental development； or to a high order of productiveness。 Although in most industrial enterprises we know how to work together so successfully； in literature we have as yet no co…operation。 We have not only no Paris； but we have not even a Tubingen； a Leipsic； or a Jena； or anything corresponding to the fellowships in the English universities。 Our literary workers have no choice but to fall into the ranks； and make merchandise of their half…formed ideas。 They must work without co…operation； they must write in a hurry； and they must write for those who have no leisure for aught but hasty and superficial reading。
Bursting boilers and custom…house frauds may have at first sight nothing to do with each other or with my subject。 It is indisputable； however； that the horrible massacres perpetrated every few weeks or mouths by our common carriers； and the disgraceful peculation in which we allow our public servants to indulge with hardly ever an effective word of protest； are alike to be ascribed to the same causes which interfere with our higher culture。 It is by no means a mere accidental coincidence that for every dollar stolen by government officials in Prussia； at least fifty or a hundred are stolen in the United States。 This does not show that the Germans are our superiors in average honesty； but it shows that they are our superiors in thoroughness。 It is with them an imperative demand that any official whatever shall be qualified for his post； a principle of public economy which in our country is not simply ignored in practice； but often openly laughed at。 But in a country where high intelligence and thorough training are imperatively demanded； it follows of necessity that these qualifications must insure for their possessors a permanent career in which the temptations to malfeasance or dishonesty are reduced to the minimum。 On the other hand； in a country where intelligence and training have no surety that they are to carry the day against stupidity and inefficiency； the incentives to dishonourable conduct are overpowering。 The result in our own pol