alfred the great had his problems of anarchy, widespread lawlessness, terrorism, to meet. after the best thought he could give to the business, he met them and prevailed. like diseases call for like cures; and we may assume without fear that a remedy which has been very successful in one age is at least worth looking at in another.

we too, like alfred, have our own troubles—our land-questions, labor-questions, steady increase of pauperism, and others. in our struggle for life we fight[298] with different weapons, and have our advantages of one kind or another over our ancestors; but when all is said and done there is scarcely more coherence in the english nation of to-day than in that of 1079. individualism, no doubt, has its noble side; and “every man for himself” is a law which works wonders; but we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that under their action english life has become more and more disjointed, threatening in some directions altogether to fall to pieces. what we specially want is something which shall bind us more closely together. every nation of christendom is feeling after the same thing. the need of getting done in some form that which frank-pledge did for alfred’s people expresses itself in germany in mutual-credit banks, open to every honest citizen; in france, in the productive associations of all kinds; at home, in our co-operative movements and trades-union.

no mere machinery, nothing that governments or legislatures can do in our day, will be of much help, but they may be great hindrances. the study of the modern statesman must be how to give such movements full scope and a fair chance, so that the people may be able without let or hindrance to work out in their own way the principle which alfred brought practically home to his england, that in human society men cannot divest themselves of responsibility for their neighbors, and ought not to be allowed to attempt it.