It may seem somewhat paradoxical to the ordinary mind to speak of European civilisation as a failure at the present day. To all obvious appearances and material purposes it is the European races that now hold sway over the major part of the world. And judging from the pride and enthusiasm with which European institutions, ideals and habits of life are being adopted as the high water mark of refinement and progress by non-European peoples all the world over, one would rather be expected to pronounce a verdict of unqualified success upon the civilisation which is embodied in them. But such an estimate can never be sound so long as we do not mistake aggressive power and splendour for real greatness and success. A civlisation is to be judged not merely by its vigour and extension in a particular period of human history. The phenomenon of its growth and volume, however stupendous and surprising, may be the result of circumstances peculiar to that epoch of history and may change with the change of these favourable conditions.
