Europe has laid the whole world under contribution for the supply of her physical wants. In return, she has laid the whole world under obligation to her for more ethereal but not less real benefits. She has been the cradle of those free political institutions which have developed the self-control and the independence of man as a member of society. Her literature is the richest and most varied in the world. In Europe the Christian religion has been most widely diffused, and it has been the centre from which the message of peace has been sent to the farthest corners of the world.
What is true of Europe as a whole is pre?minently true of Great Britain. There the circle of European-nay, of universal-civilization and industry has its centre. By her colonies she has diffused the influence of her spirit and the energy of her sons throughout the world, so that her greatest rivals in material and social progress are her own children.
This is a proud position for so small a land to hold. But insignificant as the British Isles appear on the map of theworld, Britain is in no small degree indebted to climate, physical configuration, and geographical position for the greatness which she has achieved.
"The territory," says Emerson, "has a singular perfection. The climate is warmer by many degrees than it is entitled to be by latitude. Neither hot nor cold, there is no hour in the whole year when one cannot work. The temperature makes no exhaustive demands on human strength, but allows the attainment of the largest stature. In variety of surface it is a miniature of Europe, having plain, forest, marsh, river, sea- shore. From first to last it is a museum of anomalies. This foggy and rainy country furnishes the world with astronomical observations. Its short rivers do not afford water-power, but the land shakes under the thunder of its mills. There is no gold mine of any importance, but there is more gold in England than in all other countries. It is too far north for the culture of the vine, but the wines of all countries are in its docks; and oranges and pine-apples are as cheap in London as on the Mediterranean."WORDSadaptations, adjustments. alternation, succession. anomalies, irregularities. barbarism, savageness. beneficial, improving. characteristic, distinctive. complicated, intricate. configuration, form. convenient, advantageous. destination, destiny. development, growth. distribution, arrangement. employment, use. esculent, eatable.
ethereal, immaterial.
exhausted, consumed. exhaustive, wearing out. facilities, powers. indispensable, necessary. insignificant, unimportant. intelligent, wise. luxuriance, prolificness. miniature, reduced copy. miserable, wretched. niggardly, penurious. obligation, indebtedness. permanently, lastingly. predominates, has mastery. pre?minent, supreme. prodigal, liberal.
profusely, abundantly.
ruminants, cud-chewers.
smelted, separated into metal and dross.
spontaneously, voluntarily.
sterility, barrenness. superflcial, surface. territory, land. unfavourable, adverse.
NOTES
① A dormant season.-Winter, when the powers of nature are asleep. The approach of winter, in the temperate regions, makes man lay up stores from the previous harvest. He is thus encouraged to be provident and thoughtful. This is wanting in the Tropics.
② Sago-palm.-This tree grows in the East Indian Islands, in Ceylon, and on the south-eastern coast of Hindostan.
③ Bread-fruit tree.-Grows in Tahiti and other South Sea Islands.
④ Chinese Wall.-A stupendous wall forming the northern boundary of China. It runs westward from the Yellow Sea for 1250 miles, till it meets the mountains which form the western frontier. It was intended as a defence against the Tartars, and was completed in the third century B. C.
QUESTIONS
What is the leading characteristic of the temperate regions? What proportion of the human race do they contain? To what is the activity of these regions in a great measure due? How does a temperate climate enable man to work? How does it compel him to work? What is the character of his struggle with nature in the frozen regions? What prevents labour in the Tropics? What renders it unnecessary? What animals are characteristic of the temperate regions? What plants? Why does corn precede all civilization? What is necessary to its permanent production? What are the chief corn-plants of the Temperate Zone? What trees are most abundant there? What minerals? By what are the differences that occur within the Temperate Zone produced? What is the character of Central Asia? How is this accounted for? What is remarkable in the configuration of Europe? What are the consequences of this? What country in Europe is preeminent in these respects? To what is Britain in some degree indebted for her proud position? What does Emerson say of the effects of its climate? Mention some of the anomalies which he points out.