44 Social Environment 



lectual capital of the world moved elsewhere. 

 Except for the eugenics movement, which, as 

 we have just seen, was merely an attempt to 

 apply evolution to social problems, England 

 produced no further noteworthy developments 

 of philosophical thought. A feeling of uncer- 

 tainty prevailed. The very emphasis with 

 which the logic of evolution was repeated re- 

 vealed a chilling doubt as to the foundations 

 of economic life. 



7. The Reaction in Literature 



The feeling of uncertainty found expression 

 in literature during the whole period of the 

 industrial revolution and the establishment 

 of capitalism. Carlyle obtained a respectful 

 hearing for that stormy protest which came 

 from the lonely anguish of sight in the midst 

 of blindness. How well these words of his 

 caricature the prevailing spirit : 



Ours is a world requiring only to be well let alone. 

 Scramble along, thou insane scramble of a world; 

 thou art all right and shalt scramble even so. And 

 whoever in the press is trodden down has only to 

 lie there and be trampled broad. 



In milder spirit the poets also reflect some- 

 what the same attitude. .Wordsworth, after 



