and in few have great artists, fine poets, or celebrated writers been more rare. Many Europeans, struck by this fact, have looked upon it as a natural and inevitable result of equality; and they have supposed that if a democratic state of society and democratic institutions were ever to prevail over the whole earth, the human mind would gradually find its beacon-lights grow dim, and men would relapse into a period of darkness.
Zenbait europarrek, ikuskizun honekin harrituta, berdintasunaren emaitza natural eta ezinbestekotzat jo dute, eta pentsatu dute gizarte-egoera eta erakunde demokratikoak noizbait munduan nagusituz gero, giza izpirituari pixkanaka ilundu egingo litzaizkiokeela dituen argiak, eta gizakia ilunpetan jausiko litzatekeela berriro.