TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 821 



over, and is at most invited to its feasts tut not incorporated, as it sliould be, 

 with the domestic life of the people. 



Complaint has long been rife that the British are indifferent as a people 

 even to things of manifest importance which as a nation of business men 

 they might be expected to value. It would certainly seem that we are all 

 too forgetful of Tyndall's warning that ' every system which would escape the 

 fate of an organism too rigid to adjust itself to its environment, must be plastic 

 to the extent that the growth of knowledge demands.' As our President said a 

 full quarter of a century ago, ' when this truth has been thoroughly taken in, 

 rigidity will be relaxed, things not deemed essential will be dropped and elements 

 now rejected will be assimilated. The lifting of the life is the es.sential point, 

 and as long as dogmatism, fanaticism and intolerance are kept out, various modes 

 of leverage may be employed to raise life to a higher level.' 



But how are we to become plastic to the extent that the growth of knowledge 

 demands, in order that rigidity may be relaxed, that conservatism may give way 

 to a wise spirit of advance ? Probably there is no more important question the 

 nation can ask at the present time : for that we are wanting in plasticity is 

 proved to demonstration. Does not the shade of our former President stand 

 before us and solemnly give answer : ' By the cultivation and exercise of imagina- 

 tive power — by the scientific use of the imagination ' ; for in these days are we 

 not indeed a people ' of little faith ' ? There would seem, in fact, to be clear 

 evidence, if not of destruction, at least of impairment, of imaginative power under 

 modern conditions — that the tendency of education is to kill rather than to 

 develop the very power on wliich the progress of the world depends. A dearth 

 of imaginative power is strikingly apparent in art, in literature, in music, in 

 science, in public taste generally, the prevailing tendency being to imitate rather 

 than to originate and individualise. Commentators and critics of sorts abound, 

 but these rarely display any catholicity of judgment. Leaders are few and far to 

 seek. The prevailing policy is that of the party in power — and more often than 

 not of a caucus behind it — not the policy which on broad general grounds is the 

 most desirable ; in fact, little attempt is made to discover in any scientitic manner 

 what would be the really wise policy to pursue. Nothing could illustrate this 

 better than the state of chaos into which aflairs educational are plunged at the 

 present time. Those who dare to differ or offer advice are looked at askance and 

 always with jealous eyes ; too often also everything is done to block the way of 

 the reformer, not from any base motive but as a rule from sheer inability to 

 appreciate what is proposed — from sheer lack of imaginative power. Necessarily, 

 as the conditions of civilisation become more complex, the tendency to accept and 

 follow must become greater, self-satisfaction more and more complete and 

 general: unless effective means be taken to counteract such a tendency, decay 

 is inevitable. 



The phrase ' creatures of habit ' is familiar to us all : few will deny that we 

 are seldom otherwise than creatures of habit, that plasticity of mind is a rare attri- 

 bute. But the growth of knowledge is taking place at such a compound interest 

 rate that a high degree of plasticity is essential if we are to avail ourselves thereof. 

 We were formerly accounted a nation of shopkeepers — of clever shopkeepers — but 

 now the title is passing from us to the Germans and Americans, because they are 

 more alive than we are to the fact that in these days it is necessary both to 

 organise and to be alive to every opportunity. If we would put money in our 

 purse in future, it will be necessary to put imagination into our ali'airs, so that we 

 may be far more ready to act than we have been of late years, 



And not only is knowledge increasing but our responsibilities are daily 

 becoming heavier and heavier. In the minds of thinking men at the present time 

 the burden of empire our nation bears is of appalling magnitude : the men who 

 have imaginative power are aghast at the flippant unconsciousness of responsibility 

 manifest in the public at large and even in the majority of our statesmen and 

 politicians. It is widely felt that a deeper sense of responsibility must be induced 

 among us, if we are to maintain our heritage intact — if we are to remain worthy 

 to play the gi-eat part for which by au inscrutable ordinance we find ourselves 



