y men thought they were at the end of a process, and
their evolutionary creed was often only a polite method of saying what
fine fellows they were. Now we look forward. The future seems to us
longer than the past and more important than the present; and we
ourselves seem to be at the beginning rather than at the end of time. A
knowledge of the past has made it impossible to believe that growth has
stopped, and we understand how different the future may be, in part at
least, by perceiving how different even this grimy and blood-stained
present is from the still more inhuman past.

Among the recorded changes the Economists write of an increasing
interchange of goods, and we can see as well an increasing interchange
of ideas across the frontiers of States. Music, painting, literature,
and science have all been influenced; and ideas concerning political,
economic, and social facts have been affected by that interchange which
has developed our philosophy, our science, and our art. No one nation
has originated all; and each nation has depended on hints and hypotheses
which have arisen in others.

But the interchange of ideas on social life has led to an increase of
ideals, which are plans of action emotionally appreciated and therefore
motive forces. Some of these are the Utopias of individual thinkers;
but we shall consider here only those more powerful ideals which are
shared, however vaguely, by many. In this case also, as in the purely
intellectual sphere, the fire spreads from group to group, from nation
to nation; and as the interchange of ideas increases knowledge, so the
exchange of enthusiasm makes action more powerful. A really effective
ideal, however, cannot arise except from the perception of definite
evil. Vague discontents may cause such revolution as leads to reaction;
but the clear sight of evil is the only source of reform. We may take it
for granted, then, that although an ideal is nerveless if it is not
passionate, it is futile unless it is based on knowledge. Therefore a
hint must be given of the evils from the knowledge of which ideals of
social reform now rise. That all is not well in the relations of man to
man or of group to group must be fairly obvious to any one with
imagination enough for sympathy. General dissatisfaction and universal
cures for society are childish; but the perception of this and that evil
gives rise to different plans for reform which all originate in the
enthusiasm which is an