But the idea of variety in unity remained though it was in a sense reversed.
A historical instinct made the men of the new Europe try hard to find a place for everything in the system, however much might be denied to the individual.

Christians might lose everything, but Christendom, if possible, must not lose anything.

The very nature of Islam, even at its best, was quite different from this.
Nobody supposed, even subconsciously, that Mahomet meant to restore ancient Babylon as medievalism vaguely sought to restore ancient Rome.
Nobody thought that the builders of the Mosque of Omar had looked at the Pyramids as the builders of St.Peter's might have looked at the Parthenon.

Islam began at the beginning; it was content with the idea that it had a great truth; as indeed it had a colossal truth.
It was so huge a truth that it was hard to see it was a half-truth.
Islam was a movement; that is why it has ceased to move.
For a movement can only be a mood.

It may be a very necessary movement arising from a very noble mood, but sooner or later it must find its level in a larger philosophy, and be balanced against other things.
Islam was a reaction towards simplicity; it was a violent simplification, which turned out to be an over-simplification.