22 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



minority. Even in the case where restrictive laws would 

 assure to their progeny particular privileges, making a 

 kind of aristocracy, it could never happen that there would 

 be only two strata of the population, a victorious aristocracy 

 superimposed upon a conquered democracy. We know the 

 fate of all aristocracies. Their grandeur is their ruin ; 

 they survive thanks only to foreign relays, and on an 

 average disappear in three or four centuries. One cannot 

 say " Vce victis" but " Vce victoribus" everything comes 

 to him who waits. 



The Romans did not systematically depopulate Gaul, 

 her submission satisfied them ; the distribution of races at 

 the time of the Roman peace did not undergo other 

 changes than those which could operate quite locally, the 

 deporting of a too obstreperous people or colonising" by 

 veterans. The Barbarians passed like a torrent, they 

 destroyed much, but they have not made in their campaigns 

 a true colonisation " ense et aratro'" of Marshall Buoeaud. 

 The sword sufficed to assure their domination ; to the 

 vanquished — work. They have disappeared, except per- 

 haps in the towns wmere they crossed with the Gallo- 

 Roman middle class, after having preserved the forms or the 

 imperial administration, for want of knowing and of being- 

 able to do better. The Arabs traversed the country, but 

 to immediately disappear. It results, once more let it be 

 repeated, that the present distribution of races should faith- 

 fully represent to us their ancient distribution, except in 

 places where special economic conditions have been slowly 

 modified, but in a constant manner, by foreign influences. 



A. C. H ADDON. 



