PT. in. Progress and Civilisation. 137 



than the existence of wide differences of character 

 between races and between nations. It is just as 

 certain and as indisputable to an unprejudiced mind 

 as the diversity of individual character in private 

 life. It would be as easy to contend that all men 

 were equally tall or equally short, equally fair or 

 equally dark, equally wise or equally silly, equally 

 brave or equally timid, as that the characteristics of 

 nation and of race were always the same. Of all 

 the fallacies which have misled mankind in modern 

 times, the greatest and most apparent, and perhaps 

 the most mischievous, has been that of the natural 

 inherent equality of mankind. The word Character, 

 like most abstract terms, is not easy of definition, 

 and yet is perfectly intelligible. We know very 

 well what we mean when we speak of the character 

 of an individual, the character of a nation, or the 

 character of a race ; but the exact signification of* 

 the word, which combines a certain union of mental, 

 moral, and physical qualities, stamped with the 

 impress of individuality, is not very easy to analyse 

 with accuracy. We must assume, therefore, that 

 they are intelligible when we say that from the 

 earliest ages of which we have any trustworthy 

 record, distinct and marked features of character 



