MOTHER EARTH 199 



sensitive, and active — active with an intensity of 

 activity past all conceivability. Yet with no chaotic 

 activity, but with activity having coherence and 

 direction, and that direction towards excellence. 



Now as to what we ought to know about the 

 Earth. While Geology boncerns itself with its 

 anatomy, Geography, by long convention, restricts 

 its concern to the Earth's outward aspect. Accord- 

 ingly, it is in the face and features of Mother-Earth 

 that we geographers are mainly interested. We 

 must know something of the general principles of 

 geology, as painters have to know something of 

 the anatomy of the human or animal body. But 

 our special business as geographers is with the out- 

 ward expression. And my second point is that the 

 characteristic of the face and features of the Earth 

 most worth learning about, knowing, and under- 

 standing, is their Beauty; and that knowledge of 

 their Beauty may be legitimately included .within 

 the scope of geographical science. 



It may be argued, indeed, that science is con- 

 cerned with quantity — with what can be measured — 

 and that Natural Beauty is quality which is some- 

 thing that eludes measurement. But geographical 

 science, at least, should refuse to be confined within 

 any such arbitrary limits and should take cognisance 

 of quality as well as quantity. This is my conten- 

 tion. I am not maintaining that the actual enjoy- 

 ment of the Natural Beauty of the Earth should be 

 regarded as within the scope of geographical science, 

 though this Society as a social body might well 

 participate in such enjoyment. Enjoyment is 



