One thing more than any other is attractive to a pontist: it is the varied strife that bridges and roads have circulated, not only in military campaigns, but in the thronged struggle for existence--the one incessant war in the affairs of men. A routine of idle sentiment prattles about an illusion named Peace, yet strife everywhere remains the historian of life, every effort to do and to live claiming a battle-toll of killed and wounded and maimed. Even sleep, the nearest kinswoman of peace, is united to the law of battle by dreams that torture. A pontist, then, when studying the strife that roads and bridges have distributed, must clear from his mind the fanciful ideas that pacifism has invented; he is an adventurer in history, not an idler in a world of visions. To-day, above all, he is called upon to see the truth, because Europe, driven by the rival motive-powers of hostile ideals, has passed from industrial strikes and contests into other phases of necessary warfare. Once more differing civilizations will have their worth tested to the full on stricken fields; and once more roads and bridges will dominate the military tactics and strategy. This great War broke out when my last chapter was nearly finished, and its early events illustrate and confirm the main arguments which I have tried to make as clear as possible, so that no person may think of bridges apart from their historic service to mankind. During many centuries, for example, all strategical bridges were fortified; then a gradual decline began, and it culminated in the defenceless modern bridge that sappers blow up in a few minutes. Bridge-builders everywhere have much good sense to regain from the science of national defence, a very difficult science to-day, for many of its methods are being rendered obsolete by airships and aeroplanes. So a book on historic bridges could not be published at a time more opportune than the present moment. * * * * * Several collectors have lent pictures, and their kind aid is acknowledged in the table of illustrations. W. S. S. _November 11th, 1914._ CONTENTS CHAPTER THE FIRST PAGE ON THE STUDY OF BRIDGES AND ROADS 1 Section I. GENERAL VIEWS, from p. 3 to p. 13. Section II. STRIFE AND HISTORIC BRIDGES, from p. 14 to p. 52. Section III. CUSTOM AND CONVENTION, from p. 53 to p. 84. Section IV. CONTROVERSIES, from p. 85 to p. 106. CHAPTER THE SECOND MAN AS THE MIMIC OF NATURE 107