1 144 LIFE : OUTLINES OF GENERAL BIOLOGY 



continuous with those which have steadily evolved birds and 

 mammals alike from lower types, which were more individualistic 

 and more combative — in short, more masculoid — can also see that 

 her current awakening is not ending with simple equality of the 

 sexes, as before the law, but rather beginning a new phase of social 

 and cultural evolution. As specialists, we are as yet mostly disap- 

 pointed with her; for though careful and conscientious student, 

 often also faithful and competent assistant, she but seldom rises 

 to leading initiative: specialist investigators like Madame Curie, 

 however welcome, are obviously very rare. But as the housewife, 

 fish-wife, or farmer's wife is an organiser, often better than her 

 specialised husband or son, and so on up to queens at their highest, 

 so there are many cases of the like in the history of culture ; witness 

 that of the Grmtde Encyclopedie itself, not to speak of the women 

 in whom so many intellectuals have found their inspirers. Moliere 

 went to the root of the matter, for after all his pitiless criticism of 

 Les Femmes Savantes and Les Precieuses Ridicules, he adds: 

 "J'admets que les femmes aient des clartes de tout!" Clear ideas 

 about everything: here is Pallas Athena, here too the "Wisdom" of 

 Solomon; here, too. Alma Mater, as the medieval university at its 

 best indeed recognised. The needful correlation of sympathies, 

 calling out synergies, and their needed syntheses, is thus to 

 be expected increasingly from woman at her best; and of 

 course in fuller and fuller collaboration with man at his best 

 as well. And in what studies — what centres — more naturally 

 and appropriately than those of life and its evolution, mind 

 and its education ? 



.Some such architectonic outline of the living and growing Unity 

 of Science, as is outlined above, needs increasingly to be brought 

 and kept in view by its various workers of constructive impulse, 

 with service to their efficiency. The scientific press — not only 

 yearly or monthly, but even weekly — teems with fresh and good 

 results on familiar lines of investigation; and though great advances 

 be less common, it is ever setting forth novel and unexpected dis- 

 coveries, and seminal ideas with them: so among all these, it is 

 dangerous, sometimes even disastrous, to fall behind. Yet those 

 least do so who have in mind the clearest general conception of the 

 range and tasks of their science in its various fields, and with its 

 earlier lines of quest and achievement not forgotten; and who see 

 the relations of these with other studies, and thus with help by turns 

 received and given. In science no less than in life, Watson's verse 

 holds true: 



The city stands as yet 



Half-built against the sky; 



Open to every threat 



Of storms that clamour by. 



