destruction of existing opinions, that of all the scientific systems up
to the present day, only those retained their position which proved the
futility of earlier theories--never those which built up new structures
on the foundations of the old house of cards that had been blown down.
In a word, that progress means not the acquisition of fresh knowledge,
but an ever-extended consciousness of the futility of the knowledge we
thought to possess.

Wilhem spared himself no pains with this work. He brought all the
thoroughness and industry of his honest nature to bear upon it, would
accept no statement at second-hand, but went for every information to
the fountain head. It would cost an immense amount of time, but after
all he had that at his disposal. There was no need for him to hurry,
seeing that he did not write from ambition or for any material
advantage, but simply for his own gratification. He began by rubbing up
his school Greek sufficiently to enable him to read the ancient
philosophers with ease, which he achieved in a few months, and then set
to work to learn Arabic, that being the chief language of science in
the Middle Ages. Schrotter was seriously alarmed at these extensive
preparations, and hastened to procure, through his pandit friends, some
English extracts from the scientific literature of India, lest Wilhelm
might think fit to study Sanscrit, and decades would pass before he
came to write the first word of his book.

Thus four years went by, years full of work, though they left no
visible traces. Meanwhile the aspect of things in the new Empire had
become very different. Men breathed the oppressive air with laboring
breasts; the bright dawn which promised so glorious a day had, been
followed by sullen mists, and the blue sky had disappeared behind
heavy, leaden-gray clouds, through which no comforting ray of sunshine
pierced. Where was all the glowing enthusiasm, the rapture of hope and
joy that, in the first years after the great war, had flushed every
German cheek and lit up every eye? Throughout the length and breath of
the land the opposing factions confronted one another like armed
antagonists preparing for a duel to the death. Town and village rang
with execration and satire, with howls of rage or satisfied revenge
vented by German against German. The Roman Catholic shook his clinched
fist at the Protestant, the liberal at the conservative, the
protectionist at the free-trader, the partisan of ab