Buckle thought that most artists, unlike men of science, were produced in volcanic countries.[226] Jacoby, in an excellent monograph,[227] finds the greatest number of superior intelligences where the urban population is densest. It seems impossible to deny that race (the Latin and Greek races, for example, abound in great men), political and scientific struggles, wealth, literary centres have a great influence on the appearance of men of genius. Who would maintain that the political struggles and great liberty of Athens, Siena, and Florence have not contributed to produce in ancient times a more powerful display of genius than at other epochs and in other countries? But when we recall the preponderating influence of meteorological phenomena on works of genius it becomes clear that a still more important place must be reserved for atmospheric and climatic conditions. _The Influence of Great Centres, of Race, and of Hot Climates._--It is worth while to study the distribution of great artists in Europe, and especially in Italy. For musicians I have used the works of Fétis[228] and Clément[229]; for painters and sculptors I have referred to Ticozzi’s two dictionaries.[230] Here are the results:-- MUSICIANS IN EUROPE. _Country._ _Number._ _To one million inhabitants._ Italy 1210 40.7 Belgium 98 16.7 Germany 650 13.8 France 405 10.7 Holland 31 7.7 Greece 15 7.5 Switzerland 20 7.0 Denmark 14 6.6 Austria 239 6.5 England 149 4.6 Portugal 17 3.6 Spain 62 3.5 Ireland 7 1.4 Russia 34 0.4 Sweden 9 0.2 The countries which have furnished the greatest number of musicians after Italy are Belgium, Germany, and France, the countries which have the greatest density of population; the poorest in musicians are Ireland, Russia, and Sweden, with a very slight density, especially the two last. The influence of volcanic soil and of Latin race does not clearly appear, when one notes the feeble proportions given by Spain and Greece compared to Germany. If, however, we study the distribution of musicians in the various regions of Italy, we see immediately that the hot and non-insular districts stand first; then Emilia and Venetia; Piedmont, the Marches and Umbria stand low, and Sardinia is completely absent. We do not, however, obtain a sufficiently clear view of the orographic influences until we take the provinces separately.[231]