CHAPTER Ⅵ　THE PURE OF LIFE

Here is a little problem in mathematics which is not out of place in a book of history.

Take a piece of string and make it into a circle, like this:

In this circle all diameters will of course be equal.

AB=CD=EF-GH and so on, ad infinitum.

But turn the circle into an ellipse by slightly pulling two sides. Then the perfect balance is at once disturbed. The diameters are thrown out of gear. A few like AB and EF have been greatly shortened.Others, and especially CD, have been lengthened.

Now transfer the problem from mathematics to history. Let us for the sake of argument suppose that

AB represents politics

CD represents trade

EF represents art

GH represents militarism

In the figure I the perfectly balanced state, all lines are equally long and quite as much attention is paid to politics as to trade and art and militarism.

But in figure II（which is no longer a perfect circle）trade has got an undue advantage at the expense of politics and art has almost entirely disappeared, while militarism shows a gain.

Or make GH（militarism）the longest diameter, and the others will tend to disappear altogether.

You will find this a handy key to a great many historical problems.