A chuckle of collateral satisfaction ran through the empire.

All England and her dependencies felt the state of cousinship with the fruits of energy; and it was an agreeable sentiment, coming opportunely, as it did, at the tail of articles that had been discussing a curious manifestation of late--to-wit, the awakening energy of the foreigner--a prodigious apparition on our horizon.

Others were energetic too! We were not, the sermon ran, to imagine we were without rivals in the field.

We were possessed of certain positive advantages; we had coal, iron, and an industrious population, but we were, it was to be feared, by no means a thrifty race, and there was reason for doubt whether in the matter of industry we were quite up to the mark of our forefathers.

No deterioration of the stock was apprehended, still the nation must be accused of a lack of vigilance.