Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 5.djvu/222

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS

the nature of dictation from this country, but it will come as the realization of a universal desire, as the expression of the dearest wish of our Colonial fellow subjscts themselves.

That such a result would be desirable, would be in the interest of all our Colonies as well as of ourselves, I do not believe any sensible man will doubt. It seems to me that the ten- dency of the time is to throw all power into the hands of the greater empires, and the minor kingdoms — those which are non-progressive — seem to be destined to fall into a secondary and subordinate place. But, if Greater Britain re- mains united, no empire in the world can evei surpass it in area, in population, in wealth, 01 in the diversity of its resources.

Let us, then, have confidence in the future. I do not ask you to anticipate with Lord Macaulay the time when the New Zealander x will come here to gaze upon the ruins of a great dead city. There are in our present condition no visible signs of decrepitude and decay. The mother country is still vigorous and fruitful, is still able to send forth troops of stalwart sons to people and to occupy the waste spaces of the earth ; but yet it may well be that some of these sister nations whose love and affection we eagerly desire may in the future equal and even sur- pass our greatness. A -transoceanic capital may

1 Hacaulay's famous prophecy, in words almost identical, may be found in one of the letters of Horace Walpole.

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