THE STRENGTH OF THE NORTH 203 



attracted towards the tropics by the amenities 

 of the south. Observing the many peculiarities 

 in character and ancient custom which the 

 native peoples of Ireland and Wales share with 

 the races of the Mediterranean with some races 

 indeed of the East and their extraordinary 

 persistency, we may indulge in the speculation 

 that these peoples have also come from southern 

 latitudes, and are, in consequence, as remote in 

 their sympathies from the English, as the English 

 are from the inhabitants of Italy and Spain. 

 During the last few centuries northern countries 

 have increased immensely in wealth and have 

 attracted immigrants, who may in time change 

 very materially the character of their inhabitants. 

 The Irish have spread in large numbers to England 

 and America : the Italians and other Mediter- 

 ranean peoples have flocked to New York in 

 hundreds of thousands. Large seaports have 

 always attracted a foreign population : for gen- 

 erations Londoners have been receiving into their 

 houses strangers from all countries of the world, 

 and it may be held that traces of an intermixture 

 of southern blood may already be seen in their 

 features and character. There is certainly 

 great difference between them and the towns 

 population of northern England, which have 

 been affected less intimately by alien immigration. 

 Generally, however, the outstanding feature of 

 the ancient history of Europe has been the 

 periodic infusion of northern energy into the 

 productiveness of the south. Modern history 

 begins when the north became productive as well 

 as energetic. But the success of northern races 

 is won by their character not by their riches, and 

 it would be an evil day for the progress of mankind 

 were their traits to be obliterated by an influx of 

 alien blood. We might gain a wider development 



