3 OCTOBER 1874, Page 15

CULTUR-B I AMPF. "

[TO THE EDITOIL OF THE "SPECTATOR."] am sure that all Englishmen who still cherish the old- fashioned Liberal notion that personal freedom is worth some- thing owe you thanks for your article on this subject. If you would parallel the Pall Mall's• monthly list of "Killed and Wounded on the Railways" by asununarised account from time to time of the incidents of this new crusade against individuality, you might possibly help to enlighten a certain school of politicians here who are making a new-fetish called " the State "as to whither their principles lead. An able writer recently said, with justice, of this culture-fight, that "a policy which is the.very delirium of bureaucracy, applied to the world of ideas, would hardly have been tried by any states- man in Europe, save one whose genius seems impervious tathe deeper significance of the moral forces." That is true. But there is nothing wonderful in the fact that a Bismarck should exist willing to try this policy. What most amazes an ordinary Briton is that an intelligent, and above all, a highly educated people like the German can be found to stand it. The writer already quoted adds :—" Nor would any other people have accepted this Musco- vite experiment with that flaccid resignation, save one amongst whom high special culture had weakened the manly tolerance of