Ho SCIENCE PROGRESS 



constructions ; and it is indeed extremely unlikely that each of 

 these works was written by a different man. The construction 

 of the Iliad is the most magnificent thing in the whole range of 

 art. Each of the three parts ends in a summit of excellence, 

 and every character, event, episode, and metaphor is subordin- 

 ated to the whole, is indispensable, and is the best one possible 

 within the design. The construction of both works was the 

 labour of the lifetime of a single mind of much greater capacity 

 than the minds of all of us ; and as the great tragedy draws to 

 a conclusion we are justified in saying, what we are seldom 

 justified in saying, that this work is divine. So also, and 

 precisely so also, the art of Dante, Shakespeare, and Cervantes 

 consists in the first place of perfect constructions. The lan- 

 guage which they use, beautiful, original, or melodious as it 

 may be, is of quite inferior importance. The real art lies in 

 the choice of materials ; and the genius, in the invention which 

 gave the authors such an immense field to choose from. The 

 dropped handkerchief in Othello is the thunderclap of the 

 tragedy, and the knocking at the door in Macbeth comes like 

 the voice of God in punishment. So also the judgments of 

 Sancho Panza, which may appear to be little humorous in- 

 cidents, really reveal the depth of the human tragedy ; and 

 poor Don Quixote, whose head is amongst the stars, falls to 

 earth, as always will the god of Virtue-without-Wisdom. 



Now in the midst of a vile war which brings no honour to 

 any one except to those who are dying in it, we may pause for 

 a moment to see these snowy peaks of human genius rising above 

 the bloody turmoil around us. It would seem as if some high 

 Power has reminded us of two of these great men in the midst of 

 the battle and has said to us, " I have given you a beautiful 

 world, an intellect capable of fathoming the stars, a capacity for 

 godlike virtues, and men of genius to guide you ; but all you 

 do is to cut each others' throats in the mire." 



R. R. 

 The Anti-Science Manifesto 



The Times report 1 of the Neglect of Science meeting was meagre, 

 and was immediately followed by a counterblast, in the shape 

 of a manifesto from a small number of distinguished persons, 

 which had evidently been secured beforehand, so that the bane 



1 May 4, 1916. 



