THE WONDERS OF LIFE 



us that human civilization is the outcome of a long and 

 gradual process of evolution, covering thousands of 

 years. The civilized races of our time have arisen from 

 less civilized races, and these in turn from lower, until 

 we reach the savage races which show no trace of civ- 

 ilization. 



Ethnologists distinguish as a separate class the races 

 which are found midway between the civilized peoples 

 and the savages. We shall deal with their classification 

 and characteristics later on (chapter xvii.). These races 

 show some advance on the artistic instinct which we 

 find in a slight degree even among the savages at times; 

 moreover, their animal curiosity develops into human 

 curiosity, and raises the question of the causes of phe- 

 nomena, the germ of all science. 



Civilized races, which occupy the next stage to these, 

 are raised above them by the formation of larger states 

 and a greater division of labor. The specialization of 

 the various groups of workers and the greater ease of 

 maintenance permit a further development of art and 

 science. To these groups belong, of living races, the 

 majority of the Mongolians, and the greater part of the 

 inhabitants of Europe and Asia in ancient and mediaeval 

 times. The great ancient civilizations of China, South- 

 em India, Asia Minor, Egypt, and afterwards of Greece 

 and Italy, show not only a great development of art and 

 science, but also a concern for legislation, religious wor- 

 ship, education of the young, and the spread of knowl- 

 edge by written books. 



Civilization in the narrower sense, characterized by a 

 high development of art and science and the manifold 

 application of them to practical life in legislation, educa- 

 tion, etc., was greatly advanced even in antiquity among 

 several nations — ^in Asia by the Chinese, Southern Ind- 

 ians, Babylonians, and Egyptians; in Europe by the 

 Greeks and Romans of the classic age. However, their 



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