This becomes, then, one of the fixed points in our orientation.  History and geography both dictate it.  Just as in the building of our fatherland and its attendant sentiments, the process is not a purely logical one, but comes to its completion by most irregular courses, with all sorts of bypaths due to the odd configuration of our nature and the world we live in, so in widening out from patriotism to humanity we have to follow a line given, for the most part, by external facts.  The French as our nearest neighbours have always had a special interest for us.  They, like ourselves, have inherited a mixed race and a mixed civilization, partly Teutonic, partly Celtic, partly Roman, but with elements variously combined.  To us a more predominantly Teutonic stock and an insular position have given a more independent and unique character, history, and constitution.  France, as being continental and more central, was also more completely Romanized, and has at all periods of her history been more in touch with the general stream of thought than ourselves.  Often she has led it, always she has reflected it more quickly and perfectly.  Our traditional rivalry has been a chivalrous one, marked by many episodes of real admiration and close friendship.  To Elizabeth, to Cromwell, to the Crusaders of the twelfth and the philosophers of the eighteenth century, France and England seemed as naturally allied as they are now in repelling a common aggression on their homes and liberty.  But for the future the strongest links will be the two great common ideals, self-government and individual freedom at home, and the community of free peoples abroad.  In the practical democracy already realized at home, and in the ideal of a humanity built up of such self-governing and co-operating states, France and England stand for the unity of western civilization in the sense in which it has been traced in this volume, the only sense which makes it worth the sacrifice of wealth and toil and life.

  ERRATUM.

  Page 305, line 14 from bottom

  for cannot it abolish read it cannot abolish

  Marvin:  The Unity of Western Civilization.

[** Transcriber’s Note:  The text below was modified to reflect the ERRATUM above.  The original ERRATUM is left in the document for historical purposes. **]

The unity of which we believe ourselves to be now the champions must therefore be a real thing based on freedom and realized by conscious effort; but it must also be truly comprehensive, not exclusive of any willing co-operator, not aimed against any one but for the whole.  It is not intended in this volume to discuss any burning questions of the day, and therefore the briefest indications must be given of how the nucleus of western culture has been formed and how it must reform itself after the war.  France, Germany, and England have been for many years, collectively far the most important centres of science