278 PSYCHOLOGY AND PREACHING
eighteenth century. The political struggle in Russia in this generation is similar in many essential respects to that of France in the Revolutionary Epoch, and the social conditions are much the same. But how differently do the Russians go about it! There are points of similarity in method, to be sure; but the contrasts are more profound and striking than the resemblances. Violence is characteristic of both movements; but in Russia it seems to be limited to small groups of desperate and unbalanced men and women; while in France practically the whole population was swept by tempests of violent fury. Among races the Italic, Celtic and Hellenic groups seem to be more subject to sudden emotional seizures of the entire population, more readily dominated or obsessed by a single idea or sentiment than any other of the peoples that have attained to a high culture; while the Teutonic and the Slavic groups are less so.[1]
These temperamental differences which manifest themselves among the advanced peoples doubtless also exist among the backward ; but all races in the early stages of development are highly suggestible, because of the decided predominance of the instinctive over the intellectual factors of personality, and are therefore quite subject to mental epidemics.
IV. We may now properly ask: What bearing has the progress of society upon the phenomena we are studying?
- ↑ The paragraph above was written before I became acquainted with the illuminating and suggestive work of Professor Ellsworth Huntington on " Civilization and Climate " ; and perhaps should be somewhat modified in the light which he has cast upon this rather obscure subject His conclusion, which he has apparently demonstrated in the main, is that a very high development of civilization depends chiefly upon three climatic factors first the general prevalence of moderate temperatures; second a considerable degree of humidity; and, third, a marked variability of the weather. It seems, then, that long-continued extremes of either heat or cold, great aridity of the atmosphere and uniformitv of weather conditions are all depressing and tend to prevent a high development of human energy. However, it appears to be true that races developed in warm latitudes show certain temperamental qualities not found in the races bred in cold regions. For while extremes of heat and cold both depress, they affect the nervous system in different ways.
