48 THE KINGDOM OF MAN 



modern States exercises so large an influence both in 

 the actual administration of Governments and by 

 example so situated as to be in any way aware of the 

 responsibilities which rest upon it. Traditional educa- 

 tion has, owing to causes which are not far to seek, 

 deprived the well-to-do class of a knowledge of, and 

 interest in, Man's relation to Nature, and of his power 

 to control natural processes. During the whole period 

 of the growth of man's knowledge of Nature that is to 

 say, ever since the days of Bruno the education of 

 the well-to-do has been directed to the acquirement of 

 entertaining information and elegant accomplishments, 

 whilst ' useful knowledge ' has been despised and ob- 

 tained, when considered necessary, from lower-class 

 ' workmen ' at workmen's wages. It is of course not to 

 be overlooked that there have been notable exceptions 

 to this, but they have been exceptions. Even at the 

 present day, in some civilized States, a body of clerks, 

 without any pretence to an education in the knowledge 

 of Nature, headed by gentlemen of title, equally ignorant, 

 are entrusted with, and handsomely paid and rewarded 

 for, the superintendence of the armies, the navies, the 

 agriculture, the public works, the fisheries, and even the 

 public education of the State. When compelled to 

 seek the assistance of those who have been trained in 

 the knowledge of Nature (for even in these States there 

 are a few such eccentric persons to be found), the 

 officials demand that such assistance shall be freely 

 given to them without pay, or else offer to buy the 

 knowledge required at the rate paid to a copying clerk. 

 This state of things is not one for which it is possible 

 to blame those who, in blissful ignorance, contentedly 

 perform what they consider to be their duty to their 

 country. There are, however, in many States, institu- 



