SCIENCE AND THE THOUGHT OF THE WORLD 



as in magic mirrors, we can see re-acted the early scenes 

 of the final act (which is still in progress), in which man 

 plays the principal part. The strident brass was softened 

 when Nature's orchestra modulated into the melodic and 

 more joyous leit-motiv heralding the coming on of man. 

 In the later scenes, Intelligence has come on to take the 

 leading part hitherto played by Brute Force, and man 

 has brought with him into the drama the new characters 

 of Pity, Mercy, and Charity. 



Henceforth the dominant power in the world is brain, 

 controlled by the emotions of the heart ; and the highly 

 trained intelligence the chief factor of success in all de- 

 partments of individual and national enterprise. 



One of the most important and fruitful results of the 

 intellectual upheaval which followed upon the two great 

 discoveries of science, of which we have been speaking, 

 is the almost unlimited freedom of personal belief which we 

 enjoy to-day. The older Fellows, who, like myself, lived 

 through that eventful time, will not have forgotten the 

 narrow and bigoted spirit which then prevailed. Though 

 without the name, and unsupported by the terrors of 

 rack and stake, in fact and in deed an inquisition was 

 still in power. The reproach of heresy was freely used, 

 and those who dared to think for themselves, and exercising 

 their private judgment to swerve from the current opinions 

 sanctioned by antiquity, were made to feel how heavy 

 could be the social penalties enforced by the spirit of 



persecution. 



102 



