SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY 403 



particular to those borrowed from Pythagorean wisdom which 

 Eousseau approvingly though apologetically has taken from 

 Plutarch's writings on Pythagoras. 



Need I at the present day apologise with Jean Jacques for 

 finding myself in agreement with many of these humane, wise, 

 scientifically valid and truly eugenic thoughts uttered thousands 

 of years ago by one of the noblest types of the human race, of 

 whom it was said in antiquity that " a greater good never 

 came, nor ever will come, to man than that which was 

 imparted by the gods through Pythagoras." It was said of 

 Rousseau that a new world begins with him (Goethe) ; that 

 largely owing to him in religion love has been substituted for 

 fear; in politics people have begun to understand that the 

 government of nations should no longer remain what for 

 thousands of years it has been the work of an absolute or 

 arbitrary will; that in its place must be put the free govern- 

 ment of the people by the people. " Wherever discipline has 

 become more liberal, and the dignity of humanity is respected, 

 there we may say Rousseau has passed by" (Dr. Charles W. 

 Eliot, late President of Harvard University). The Emile, 

 according to John Horley, was the charter of youthful 

 deliverance. How much greater is the claim of Rousseau's 

 master Pythagoras to have worked towards the indispensable 

 physiological emancipation of man? Although this is 

 as yet far from being as adequately recognised in 

 modern times as it was in antiquity, I venture to think that 

 I need not fear the " mauvais gre " of my readers for 

 approving with Plutarch and Rousseau of the eugenic views of 

 Pythagoras. The world has indeed become more tolerant since 

 Rousseau's days. " Science " has returned to modesty since 

 the days of Huxley, and Theology likewise purified by the 

 very opposition from the scientific camp is more open to 

 listen to new tidings calculated to deepen its foundations. 

 Both Science and Theology may now be said to be open to new 

 thought along their respective paths, and less bent on mutual 

 condemnations and excommunications. It is necessary that 

 this spirit shall grow further and expand into a veritable 



BB'2 



