THE IDEAS AND SOURCES OF MYTH. 37 



first nucleus of human society, and which, in course 

 of time, brought the component parts into definite 

 relations with each other. It was subsequently the 

 reflex and fitting work of thought to raise upon the 

 foundation laid by nature a rational system of society, 

 and then to bring its rules and forms to perfection. 



Hence it follows that it was not man, nor some 

 extrinsic mythical power which arbitrarily dictated 

 the code of private and social life, but this presented 

 itself to man as a spontaneous result of the world's 

 law, relatively to the conditions possible for social 

 life. For if, as in fact is the case, and as the pro- 

 gress of knowledge and of human civilization will 

 abundantly show r , the true and eternal laws which 

 make society possible, and consequently its standard 

 of righteousness, are innate and genuine results of 

 universal laws, it is impossible for science to destroy 

 the inevitable order of things, and to reduce mankind 

 to a hideous chaos. 



It must be allowed that great truths, not fully 

 understood by incapable preachers, who sometimes 

 from ignoble motives foment the turbid instincts of 

 the ignorant multitude, may bring about, as they have 

 done of old, grave evils and even crimes in some 

 places and for a short time. But there is no one so 

 foolish or so ignorant of history as to believe that 

 all things happen in the best possible way, and in a 

 logical sequence. Such evils do not invalidate or 

 destroy the force of our assertion that social order is 



