HISTOKICAL EACES 249 



broken down by other causes than war. as by some failure in 

 government. Famine may also result from exceptionally bad 

 weather in any period ; but it would seem that when a certain 

 stage of organization has been reached the danger is greater than 

 before or afterwards. There were great famines in England in 

 the years 1194 to 1196, 1257 to 1259, and 1315 to 1316, since 

 when famines have been unknown. These famines were all con- 

 nected with bad weather, but the fact that they have not occurred 

 since is to be attributed rather to superior social organization and 

 increasing knowledge than to better climatic conditions. The 

 sudden and prolonged changes of climate which occur in certain 

 places, as for instance in Peninsular India, tax the resources even 

 of modern knowledge and skill. In the case of famine, more so 

 even than in the case of warfare, the loss of life is apt to be over- 

 estimated. Famine somehow strikes the imagination and gives 

 it a prominence in history which it does not deserve. It is in 

 reality a minor factor. 



Before leaving the subject of warfare, it is interesting to note, 

 in view of what will be said later regarding the influence of 

 Christian teaching in assisting to put a stop to abortion and 

 infanticide, that the early Church was also opposed to warfare. 

 According to Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, and 

 Lactantius, all warfare was unlawful for the converted. Under 

 Domitian a Christian soldier who refused to fight was executed. 

 There was a controversy between Celsus and Origen on this matter. 

 The view of the latter was that the prayers of Christians were 

 more effective than their swords. This attitude, however, was 

 soon abandoned, and by the time of Constantine the army was 

 largely Christian. 1 



4. In the groups already discussed we have found child mortality 

 to be an important factor. We traced it to certain factors such 

 as carelessness, ignorance, and practices such as bathing new- 

 born babies in cold water. Within the historical period child 

 mortality also plays an important part. Though there is little 

 or no evidence of the practice of such customs as those referred 

 to, ignorance and carelessness are familiar enough among the less 

 educated classes at the present day, and in addition disease 

 exacts a very heavy toll of infant life. In fact, whereas among 

 primitive races the actual cause of the death of children appears 



1 Lecky, European Morals, vol. ii, p. 248. 



