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pasture and palm groves, kept fresh and green by solitary springs 
and called oases, are too far apart, too distant from permanently 
peopled regions, to admit of comfortable settlement.” It certainly 
is not the inherent character of the people themselves: for where 
they have migrated to more favoured districts, ¢e.g., North Africa, or 
the seashores of Arabia, they have become a totally different people, 
‘“‘ model husbandmen,” and builders of cities. That branch which 
passed across into Spain to assist in revenging the insults of 
Roderick the last of the Goths, settled there and made the Plain of 
Andalusia one of the paradises of the earth, smiling with produce, 
picturesque with its Moorish towns, palaces, and temples. For 
years they took the lead in Hurope in literature and science. It 
was only at the beginning of the 8th century that they crossed the 
strait, yet at the time our Alfred was minding cakes in the marshes 
of the Somerset, there were in Cordova alone 80 free schools and 
900 public baths. Contrast the effect of Spain upon these Moors 
with the state of their brethren of the wilderness and desert, whose 
wanderings were, and are, a very necessity to them, and among 
whom as a consequence, no high culture can possibly arise. 
Contrast also with these wandering Arabs the Chinese and 
their past history—a fixed nation, steadly refusing to mix with 
others, bent on keeping to themselves what civilisation they had 
achieved, and declining to share that of the “ barbarian” world 
outside. How was this? Look at the geology and geography of 
China. Separated on the land side from other nations by massive 
up-thrown highlands, almost impossible of passage for themselves, 
and forming at the same time a bulwark against invasion ; living 
in a land which literally produced everything they required either 
for food or for clothing, there was no necessity, and no inducement 
for maritime commerce; they lived for ages in contiguity with the 
civilisation of India without sharing in it, probably without know- 
ledge of it, and remained more than contented with their lot, 
“ dwelling”’’ like the Shunamite ‘in their own country.” 
To return to India again. Contrast its climate and physical 
aspects with those of the plateau beyond the huge barrier to the 
north. One country warm, pleasant, luxuriant in its vegetation, 
the soil yielding with comparatively little trouble everything man 
could desire ; the result, enervated energies and love of ease. The 
cold, bracing highland of the north rearing a warlike race, who 
now and then lovked with envious longing eyes on this rich garden 
to the south of them, and now and again swept round through the 
mountain passes and took possession of all that the feeble folk could 
not defend. After a time these conquerors in their turn gave way 
to seductive nature, and were overwhelmed by a fresh wave from 
the north. Hence the complexity of races which we find in India, 
now all brought under the dominion of a people who have triumphed 
