42 COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART i 



rival tendencies in which it is all but lost, then history 

 might be a sufficient guide. But too often, says Mr. 

 Mackenzie, reflection becomes conscious of a social maxim 

 only when the maxim is overripe, when it is ceasing to 

 be healthy, or even to be completely alive. And so the 

 conscientious student is apt to prolong the tendencies of 

 the recent past rather than to detect the true needs of 

 the present or the tendencies of the immediate future. 

 He exhibits the weakness of the doctrinaire. The 

 practical man, who is in touch with reality, though only 

 half conscious of the principles and reasons why his 

 policy is the right one, is more truly scientific than his 

 pretentious critic in the arm-chair. When all men 

 contribute to build a prophet's tomb, one may shrewdly 

 conjecture that his message is no longer piercing and 

 discomforting the conscience of the age. When im- 

 practicable politicians form a league for the defence, not 

 of property only, but of liberty, one may fairly conclude 

 that liberty is in no special danger, but that other 

 interests of the commonwealth, not less vital to it, had 

 best be looked to. 



It would appear then that history cannot guide us 

 very securely. It cannot guide us by quoting parallels 

 from its repertory, for it is very hard to say what is a 

 parallel ; and it cannot guide us by disclosing what is the 

 master tendency of the present age, for such tendencies 

 are seldom recognised in time. If history makes us 

 wise, our wisdom arrives too generally after the event. 

 Nevertheless, the study of history will be more and more 

 imperative on all those who wish to counsel their fellows. 

 It is mere waste of faculty to ignore the experience of 

 the past, so far as that experience is available. Historical 

 culture will give a man breadth of view. It will lead 

 him to distrust sweeping generalisations and a priori 



