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278 PSYCHOLOGY AND PREACHING eighteenth century. The political struggle in Russia in this generation is similar in many essential respects to that of France in the Revolutionary Epoch, and the social conditions are much the same. But how differently do the Russians go about it! There are points of similarity in method, to be sure; but the contrasts are more profound and striking than the resemblances. Violence is characteristic of both movements; but in Russia it seems to be limited to small groups of desperate and unbalanced men and women; while in France practically the whole population was swept by tempests of violent fury. Among races the Italic, Celtic and Hellenic groups seem to be more subject to sudden emotional seizures of the entire population, more readily dominated or obsessed by a single idea or sentiment than any other of the peoples that have attained to a high culture; while the Teutonic and the Slavic groups are less so.

These temperamental differences which manifest themselves among the advanced peoples doubtless also exist among the backward ; but all races in the early stages of development are highly suggestible, because of the decided predominance of the instinctive over the intellectual factors of personality, and are therefore quite subject to mental epidemics.

IV. We may now properly ask: What bearing has the progress of society upon the phenomena we are studying?