One hundred years ago
The new Jingoism is just as unreason- able as the old, and far more dangerous. The idea of the Jingoes of 1874-79 was substantially that England, besides picking-up any wild territories that lay handy, should regard Russia as a permanent and incurable enemy, should resist her on all occasions and at all points, and should be ready at any moment, if she gave the slightest pre- text, to declare war. It was in the face of St Petersburg that the purse was shaken, to stop St Petersburg that we embarked on the foolish and immoral effort to conquer Afghanistan, and against St Petersburg that Lord Beaconsfield contended at Berlin. The policy was radically bad, for an alliance between England and Russia in Asia will ultimately be essential to both countries, as well as to the well-being of the half of mankind; but at least it was definite and practicable.
Spectator, 3 January 1885
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