i 7 8 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



put together. After all, the common life of two centuries ago 

 differed little from that of previous civilised periods, such as the 

 great ages of Greece and Rome. Since then we have suddenly 

 become endowed with a hundred new powers which were 

 unthought of before — and with new outlooks upon the past, the 

 present, and the future. 



The complaint has been made that science furnishes us only 

 with petty utilities, and adds nothing to happiness, character, or 

 greatness of mind. But this is the opinion of those who have 

 never climbed the heights of science to see the view disclosed 

 from that summit. The mere utilities themselves affect both 

 happiness and character. The humble bicycle possessed by the 

 modern workman enables him to see something of the world 

 which was never seen by his pedestrian ancestor. Mechanical 

 transit is probably a better educator than some schoolmasters, 

 and the happiness and self-confidence of every civilised man 

 are vastly increased by the consciousness of scientific knowledge. 

 If we have no access of magnanimity, it is not the fault of 

 science, but rather of defects which science may hope to remove. 

 Some one once said that a knowledge of the stars is of no con- 

 sequence to any of us, and that the Greeks were happy without 

 possessing it ; but what would not the ancient Greeks have 

 given to have seen what we can see in the heavens to-day? 

 Science not only makes us " lords of little things," but lifts us 

 into higher spheres of truth. It is constantly recalling 

 philosophy to fact ; and gives, or ought to give, more concrete- 

 ness to art. It has revolutionised the military arts ; and it 

 should revolutionise politics. It brings the ends of the earth 

 together, and mingles humanity in a manner which was un- 

 dreamed of a century ago. 



The gifts of science, unlike those of war and politics, are not 

 given to a single tribe and to a single generation, but to the 

 whole civilised world and to all time, until " the future dares 

 forget the past." But they also affect each nation separately. 

 It is scarcely too much to say that the overwhelming superiority 

 in power and influence of a few nations of to-day is due, not 

 perhaps to their physical or moral superiority, nor even to the 

 intellectual superiority of their individual citizens, but to the 

 greater scientific knowledge which these nations possess. It 

 is to be doubted, for instance, whether we could excel in arms 

 and conquer savage tribes merely by our personal bravery or 



