The Moral and Intellectual Diversity of Races: With Particular Reference to Their Respective Influence in the Civil and Political History of MankindGobineau, Arthur, comte de
Philosophy
The Moral and Intellectual Diversity of Races: With Particular Reference to Their Respective Influence in the Civil and Political History of Mankind
I have, moreover, in favor of my position, the high authority of Mr.
Macaulay: "The Reformation," says that distinguished essayist and
historian, "was a national as well as a moral revolt. It had been not
only an insurrection of the laity against the clergy, but _also an
insurrection of the great German race against an alien domination_. It
is a most significant circumstance, that no large society of which the
tongue is not Teutonic, has ever turned Protestant, and that, wherever a
language derived from ancient Rome is spoken, the religion of modern
Rome to this day prevails." (_Hist. of England_, vol. i. p. 53.)--H.
[104] Thus Sparta and Athens, respectively, stood at the head of the
oligarchic and democratic parties, and the alternate preponderance of
either of the two often inundated each state with blood. Yet Sparta and
Athens, and the partisans of each in every state, possessed the spirit
of liberty and independence in an equal degree. Themistocles and
Aristides, the two great party leaders of Athens, vied with each other
in patriotism.
This uniformity of general views and purpose, Mr. De Tocqueville found
in the United States, and he correctly deduces from it the conclusion
that "though the citizens are divided into 24 (31) distinct
sovereignties, they, nevertheless, constitute a single nation, and form
more truly a state of society, than many peoples of Europe, living under
the same legislation, and the same prince." (Vol. i. p. 425.) This is an
observation which Europeans make last, because they do not find it at
home; and in return, it prevents the American from acquiring a clear
conception of the state of Europe, because he thinks the disputes there
involve no deeper questions than the disputes around him. In certain
fundamental principles, all Americans agree, to whatever party they may
belong; certain general characteristics belong to them all, whatever be
the differences of taste, and individual preferences; it is not so in
Europe--England, perhaps, excepted, and Sweden and Denmark. But I will
not anticipate the author.--H.
[105] It is well known that, in both Greece and Rome, the education of
the children of wealthy families was very generally intrusted to slaves.
Some of the greatest philosophers of ancient Greece were bondsmen.--H.
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