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in the making of societies on a necessarily 

 provisional theory of life. They teach us that 

 conduct in state and morals depends upon a 

 theory of life ; that although habits and even 

 standards of ethics may abide for a time after the 

 theory on which they were built is sapped, it is but 

 for a time ; that if the social discipline and fruition 

 are to be renewed and enlarged it must be upon 

 a new synthesis, as laborious and ardent as the 

 former, and more true. Meanwhile the business of 

 a nation, whether in war or peace, is first to be 

 quick and strong in action, to be rational after- 

 wards ; and swiftness and strength come of union of 

 wills and singleness of heart rather than of wisdom. 

 Even within its borders freedom of opinion must 

 awaken slowly ; the nation strong enough to suffer 

 irresolutions in its outward policy has yet to appear. 

 Hence it is that we find in ruling classes, and in 

 social circles which put on aristocratical fashions, 

 that ideas, and especially scientific ideas, are held 

 in sincere aversion and in simulated contempt. 



The Greek was no heathen, suckled by nature 

 and endowed only with her instincts ; he sought in 

 his mind to improve nature : but in the Renascence 

 instincts were set as free as thought In this 



