In reality the passion of the inventor has nothing whatever to do with its consequences. It is his personal life-motive, his personal joy and sorrow. He wants to enjoy his triumph over difficult problems, and the wealth and fame that it brings him, for their own sake. Whether his discovery is useful or menacing, creative or distributive, he cares not a jot. Nor indeed is anyone in a position to know this in advance. The effect of a “technical achievement of mankind” is never foreseen—and, incidentally, “mankind” has never discovered anything whatsoever. Chemical discoveries like that of synthetic indigo and (what we shall presently witness) that of artificial rubber upset the living-conditions of whole countries. The electrical transmission of power and the discovery of the possibilities of energy from water have depreciated the old coal-areas of Europe and their populations. Have such considerations ever caused an inventor to suppress his discovery? Anyone who imagines this knows little of the beast-of-prey nature of man. All great discoveries and inventions spring from the delight of strong men in victory. They are expressions of personality and not of the utilitarian thinking of the masses, who are merely spectators of the event, but must take its consequences whatever they may be.