In the most intellectual city of the ancient world, in its most intellectual age, Socrates, its most intellectual inhabitant, discouraged the study of physics because they engendered uncertainty, and did not augment human happiness.
Bagehot highlights Socrates' skepticism towards physics in favor of human happiness.
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Savages waste away before modern civilisation; they seem to have held their ground before the ancient.
They have given what I may call a CONFIDENCE IN THE UNIVERSE.
No doubt this momentary gain is bought at a ruinous after-cost.
The power of free interchange of ideas being wanting, the ideas themselves were barren.
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