“The thing you are seeing,” she said, “is Christianity. I don’t mean that there is anything in it; but Christian ideas have made English civilisation; that’s what it is. But how can you say all these things when you believe we are grabbing diamond mines?” Haw, _what_? Champagne and Grand pianos. Nice, jolly prejudiced _simpletons_; not even able to imagine that England ought not to have everything there was to be had, everywhere. Quite right, better for everybody .... but ... wir reiten, Pieter, reiten .... oh Lord ... _who_ was right? “Stop a bit, stop a bit. Christianity will not explain. There are other Christian countries where there is no sign of this thing that is in England. No. The explanation is very simple. It is that you have had in England through a variety of causes, not the least of which is your Protestant Reformation, a relatively very rapid and unrestricted _secular_ development.” “What about Germany and Holland?” “Both quite different stories. There was in England a specially favourable gathering of circumstances for rapid secularistic development.” “Then if we have been made by our circumstances it is no credit to us.” “I have not said anything about _credit_.” “But there are people now who think we are dying of the Reformation; not the break with Rome; but with Catholic history and tradition. No, wait a minute, it’s interesting. They have discovered, _proved_, that there was Christianity in Britain, and British Christian Churches, long before the Romans came. That means that we are as old, and as direct as Rome. The Pope is nothing but a Roman Bishop. I feel it is an immense relief, to know we go right back, _ourselves_; when I think of it.” “All these clericalisms are immaterial to _life_.” “Then there were two Popes at one time, and there is the Greek church. I wonder Newman didn’t think of that. Now _he_ is one of your fine English types, although he looks scared, as if he had seen a ghost. If he had known about the early British church perhaps he would not have gone over to Rome.” “I cannot follow all this. But what is indisputable is, that in every case of religious authority, secular development has been held back. Buckle has completely demonstrated this in a most masterly exhaustive consideration of the civilisations of Europe. Ah it is _marvellous_, this book, one of your finest decorations; and without any smallest touch of fanaticism; he is _indeed_ perhaps one of your greatest minds of the best English type, full of sensibility and fine gentleness.”