MEMOIR OF GUYOT. 709 



of tlie men slaves to the other half," " exacting only one worship, that 

 of the emperor, who personifies the state," the Roman world, an aggre- 

 gate of nations without a common faith, " perishes, like the rest, of its 

 own vices." 



At that time, when the principle of association under human enact- 

 ments was proving itself a failure, and despair was settling over the 

 people, then, says Guyot, " the meek fprm of the Stiviour appeared upon 

 the scene of the world," to " recall man to the only living God," and 

 " proclaim the equal worth of every human soul," " the unity and 

 brotherhood of human kind." ''It was upon this new basis that hu- 

 manity, recommencing its task, goes on to build a new edifice." The 

 task was not committed to the corrupt Eoman ; the Roman Empire 

 broke before the Germans from the North, and the center of civilization 

 passed to the north of the Alps, and soon embraced all Europe. The 

 new influences tended to harmonize the conflict ing nationalities and 

 bring about finally " a family of states so closely bound together that 

 they are only members of the same body." And while liberty was thus 

 gained for man, nature, as never before, opens herself to him and be- 

 comes his aid in all progress. Not only Europe, but, through her peo- 

 ple, all the world receives the new light and commences to participate 

 in the new progress. 



But Europe and all the old nations, " through historical ties of every 

 kind, ancient customs, acquired rights," encounter almost insurmounta- 

 ble difficulties in the way of adaptation to the exigencies of a new prin- 

 ciple — that of " liberty, equality, and fraternity " rightly interpreted ; 

 and the carrying out of this work to reality demanded for its full devel- 

 opment, as the law of history shows, that it should be transferred " to 

 a new people ; " transferred, as " the geographical march of civilization 

 tells us, to a new continent west of the Old World — to America" — a 

 land wonderfully adapted to this purpose by the simplicity and unity 

 of its features, by its great plains and rivers, and by its commanding 

 position between the oceans. 



He says, in conclusion, referring to the historic nations: "Asia, 

 Europe, and North America are the three grand stages of humanity in 

 its march through the ages. Asia is the cradle where man passed his 

 infancy under the authority of law, and where he learned his depend- 

 ence upon a sovereign master. Europe is the school where his youth 

 was trained ; where he waxed in strength and knowledge, grew to man- 

 hood, and learned at once his liberty and his moral responsibility. 

 America is the theater of his activity during the period of manbood, 

 the land where he applies and practices all he has learned, brings into 

 action all the forces he has acquired, and where he is still to learn that 

 the entire development of his being and of his own happiness are only 

 possible by willing obedience to the laws of his Maker." 



When Carl Ritter received a copy of the work "Earth and Man" 

 from his old pupil, he sent Guyot a letter of congratulations, with the 



