TOWARDS A THEORY OF LIFE 1405 



Folk, but along to the left as well, so entering the field of economics, 

 specially as regards folk- Work (Occupations), and studying the 

 folk-Places (Homes) as well. The economist too can hardly but 

 start with place- Work (natural advantages) ; and consider folk- Work 

 (occupation) with due care: and his interest is also turned to left and 

 right of his central square, to work-Place and work-Folk respectively. 

 But if so, our diagram now stands out clear in its three-fold inter- 

 weaving of all three studies into unity: and with its distinctive 

 colours yielding a mingled yet definite pattern, it becomes plain that 

 we have here the varied web of social life. The weaving goes on 

 everywhere; its webs are woven for themselves by the children of 

 men in all lands and times, from poorest and simplest to richest 

 and most developed. If so — and if a familiar northern simile be 

 permitted us — have we not here the very Tartan of Clan-Adam? 



But for a more scientific name, what shall we call this? It must 

 be confessed, however, that a convenient scientific name for this 

 geographic-economic- anthropologic web has been long of coming; 

 and that triple name is somewhat ponderous, though short and 

 simple as compared with the nomenclature of chemistry. The 

 needed name is but a century old — Sociology. No doubt this is at 

 its very simplest ; all the above is but elementary, indeed elemental : 

 but open to further development, indeed, needing it, since so far 

 from complete. Yet here is the actual beginning of our Edinburgh 

 School of Sociology many years ago, incorporating all it could from 

 current science; so at once Le Play's Lieu, Travail, Famille, and 

 Comte's and Spencer's classification and inter-relation of "Physical, 

 Biological, and Social Sciences" — and these more the same than 

 either of these eminent pioneers ever realised, or their disciples 

 either. We utilised the geography of the schools of Le Play, Tourville 

 and Demolins, and Reclus, the anthropology of Tylor, Haddon, 

 and others, and such further aid as we could muster also. In the 

 same way the Sociological Society was next recruited; again especi- 

 ally among the geographers, economists, and anthropologists, most 

 open to mutual interests; and thereafter lodged in "Le Play House" 

 accordingly; since on the whole his example, contributions, and 

 influence towards this co-ordinated treatment have been the most 

 concrete of any so far, and are now extending 'through surveys, 

 even to economic and social teaching, as it advances. 



But it may be said this diagram, even if so far co-ordinated, is 

 but a faint outline. True: it gives but briefest possible indications, 

 yet towards arranging and selecting, from three bibliographies, 

 each indefinitely voluminous: and so yielding fuller social descrip- 

 tions and tabular summaries, on a better method than that of 

 Herbert Spencer's elaborate folios. The long files of La Reforme 

 Sociale et La Science Sociale, the earlier and later magazines of the 

 respective schools arising round Le Play, furnish an example of 



