SHEMITIC CIVILIZATION. 121 



they have ever been. The Mussulman (the 

 Sheniitic mind is everywhere represented in 

 our times by Islamism) and the European, 

 in the presence of one another, are like 

 beings of a different species, having no one 

 habit of thought and feeling in common. 

 But the progress of mankind is accomplished 

 by the contest of contrary tendencies ; by a 

 sort of polarisation, in consequence of which 

 each idea has its exclusive representatives 

 in this world. It is as a whole, then, that 

 these contradictions harmonise, and that 

 profound peace results from the shock of 

 apparently inimical elements. 



This admitted, if we seek out what the 

 Shemitic nations have contributed to that 

 organic and living whole, which we call 

 civilization, we shall find, first, that in 

 Political Economy we owe them nothing. 

 Political life is, perhaps, that which is 

 most innate and peculiar to Indo-European 

 nations ; for these nations alone have known 

 liberty, and comprehended, in fact, the con- 

 stitution of the State and the liberty of the 



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