Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 112 (Color Image)

0112	Among the Celestials : vol.1

86 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. IV.

war with her on account of her cruel adminis-

tration. For many years we supported Persia

with officers, money and arms, but when Russia

attacked the northern provinces we did not

think it worth while to support Persia sufficiently

to prevent her taking them, and we eventually

had to go to war with Persia ourselves. And

in regard to Afghanistan we should, I am sure,

like to be a good deal more certain than we are

that all the money and patience we have spent

upon it have not been thrown away.

On the other hand, wherever either ourselves

or the Russians have assumed control over

semi-civilised states, progress and improvement

have invariably resulted, and, taken as a whole,

our respective positions have been strengthened,

not weakened. We are not weaker for our

advance through India, and the Russians are

not weaker for their advance into the Caucasus

and Central Asia. At the same time the. people

in both are better off than they have ever been

before.

We should then take into consideration the

almost irresistible tendency of the times for the

civilised nations of Europe to control the less

civilised peoples of Asia. Still more seriously

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