32 THE LEWIS BROOKS MUSEUM. 



these special applications to bread-winning pursuits, the in- 

 fluence of the geology of a country on the general charac- 

 ter of a people, its political, social and commercial relations, 

 is very great. Statesmen and political economists now-a- 

 clays more and more recognize the important influence on 

 the general welfare of a country which is exerted by geolog- 

 ical phenomena. Their knowledge, however, is empirical, 

 and they do not trace the effects to their causes. From 

 what has already been said, it will be seen that the to- 

 pography and surface features of a country, the adaptation 

 of its soils to the different agricultural pursuits, the presence 

 or absence of mineral deposits, the course of rivers, etc., 

 are all directly dependent upon the geology. Now allot" 

 these are most important agencies in moulding the charac- 

 ter and controlling the relations of a people. We may 

 perhaps best point out their influence by taking some exam- 

 ples where they have played an important part. 



We learn from the study of the history of nations, 

 taken in connection with the character of their country, the 

 following facts. Uniformity in the surface of a country, 

 ease of communication between its parts, with a variety of 

 products and pursuits, promote a feeling of common nation- 

 ality, secure independence^ and thus form and maintain 

 great nations. On the other hand, great diversity of sur- 

 face and difficulty of communication, promote diversity of 

 interests, and tend to form and maintain separate small na- 

 tionalities. At the same time the mutual action of these 

 small nations promotes industry and enterprise, and in- 

 creases intelligence. Germany and Central Europe in gene- 

 ral are striking illustration of the effects produced by geo- 

 logical structure. The structure of that portion of the Con- 

 tinent is such that numerous intersecting mountain chains 

 are produced, which inclose isolated basins. This condition 

 of the surface has tended to form and keep separate a num- 

 ber of petty nations, which are prevented only by the geo- 

 logical structure from forming on© people The task of 



