been longer subjected to the relaxing
effects of sub-tropical heat.

[Sidenote: Complexity of the geographic problem.]

Where the climatic difference is small, it is nevertheless often
conspicuous enough to eclipse other concomitant factors which are at
work, and hence to encourage the formation of some easy blanket theory
of climatic influences. But just because the difference is slight, all
attending geographic and ethnic circumstances ought to be scrutinized,
to insure a correct statement of the geographical equation. The contrast
between the light-hearted, gracious peasants of warm, sunny Andalusia
and the reserved, almost morose inhabitants of cool and cloudy Asturias
is the effect not only of climate but of the easy life in a fertile
river plain, opposed to the bitter struggle for existence in the rough
Cantabrian Mountains. Moreover, a strong infusion of Alpine blood has
given this group of Spanish mountaineers the patience and seriousness
which characterizes the race in other parts of continental Europe.[1429]
The conditions which have differentiated Scotch from English have been
climate, relief, location, geologic composition of the soil, and ethnic
composition of the two peoples. The divergent development of Northerners
and Southerners in America arose from contrasts in climate, soil and
area. It was not only the enervating heat and moisture of the Southern
States, but also the large extent of their fertile area which
necessitated slave labor, introduced the plantation system, and resulted
in the whole aristocratic organization of society in the South.[1430]

[Sidenote: Monotonous climatic conditions.]

When one type of climate extends monotonously over a vast area, as in
Russia. Siberia, Central Asia or immense tracts of Africa, the
differences of temperature which prick and stimulate national endeavor
in small climatic districts here lose much of their force. Their effects
flatten out into insignificance, overwhelmed by the encounter with too
large a territory. All the southern continents are handicapped by the
monotony of their zonal location. The map of annual isotherms shows
Africa quite enclosed between the two torrid lines of 20 deg. Centigrade,
except for a narrow sub-tropical belt along the Barbary coast in the
north, and in the south an equally narrow littoral extending east and
north from the Cape of Good Hope. At first glance, the large area of
South Africa lying on the temperate side of the Tr