Note 19 — I A Sketch of the History of the Idea of Milieu Down to the Nineteenth Century

The Belgian sociologist De Greef, in his Introduction à la Sociologie (1886–89), raised “Mésologie” (denoting “Erkenntnis der milieux”) to a special introductory branch of sociology for the purpose of discussing, according to Ratzel superficially, the external factors of history; cf. Paul Barth, Die Philosophie der Geschichte als Soziologie, I (Leipzig: Reisland, 1897), p. 70 and Ratzel, l.c. p. 29. The term “Mésologie” was in use in France at an earlier date than that. See for example the title of an article written at the close of the Franco-German war by Dr. Bertillon, “De l´Influence du milieu ou Mésologie,” La Philosophie Positive, Revue dirigée par É. Littré & G. Wyrouboff, Tome IX (Paris, 1872), pp. 309–20. Or see M. E. Jourdy, “De l´Influence du milieu ou Mésologie,” ibid., Tome X (1873), pp. 154–60.