108 BIOLOGY AND THE STATE II 



present day. There is, indeed, no truth in the 

 popular partition of human aiFairs between Science 

 and Art as between two antagonistic or even compar- 

 able interests ; but the contrast which they present 

 in points such as those just mentioned is forcible. 

 Science is essentially creative ; new knowledge — the 

 experience and understanding of things which were 

 previously non-existent for man's intelligence, is its 

 constant achievement. And these creations never 

 perish ; the new is built on and incorporates the old ; 

 there is no turning back to recover what has lapsed 

 through age ; the oldest discovery is even fresher than 

 the new, yielding in ever increasing number new 

 results, in which it is itself reproduced and perpetu- 

 ated, as the parent in the child. 



This, then, is the faith which has taken shape in 

 proportion as the innate desire of man for more 

 knowledge has asserted itself — namely, that there 

 is no greater good than the increase of Science ; 

 that through it all other good will follow. Good 

 as Science is in itself, the desire and search for 

 it is even better, raising men above vile things 

 and worthless competitions to a fuller life and 

 keener enjoyments. Through it we believe that 

 man will be saved from misery and degradation, 

 not merely acquiring new material powers, but 

 learning to use and to guide his life with under- 

 standinof. Throuoii Science he will be freed from 

 the fetters of superstition ; through faith in Science 

 he will acquire a new and enduring delight in 

 the exercise of his capacities ; he will gain a zest 



