14 SCIENCE AND THE HUMAN MIND 



Such then is the framework of the population of 

 Europe during the centuries in which we are to con- 

 sider one aspect of its intellectual achievements. 



A race is essentially atomic in structure ; it is made 

 up of individual parts, which we call persons, and is 

 Creation and interpreted by these. But the individual 

 Culture. iif e i s too short to give full expression 

 to racial possibilities. Hence each independent and 

 creative civilization depends for its existence and 

 progress on that continuity of tradition and definite 

 oneness of aim and character which are essential to 

 produce the environment suitable for the development 

 of the typical personalities ; a unity only to be at- 

 tained through a certain purity of breeding of the 

 effective and directing portion of the race. 



Consequently, periods of chaos, of the biological 

 intermingling of races, are seldom periods of creative 

 power and high intellectual achievement. A super- 

 ficial culture may be attained thereby, a certain de- 

 nationalized temporary civilization may ensue, but 

 the great eras of this world's thought are records of 

 separate, distinct nationalities, expressing themselves 

 characteristically through great men, born and bred 

 in appropriate circumstances. Creation is usually the 

 outcome of one race working out its own salvation, 

 while culture appertains to a contact of ideals and 

 a mixture of peoples. 



Our history of scientific thought will be largely the 

 history of individuals, and, through the individuals, 

 of the forces, biological and social, of which they were 

 the expression. Hence it will be pertinent, whenever 

 possible, to note the parentage and circumstances of 



