44 COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART i 



it, who puts down upon his list of household require- 

 ments and Comte is catering for the household of 

 humanity anything which pleases his own taste. His- 

 tory is here the source of suggestions, and, as Comte has 

 much historical learning, he has a wealth of suggestions 

 at his command ; but history to him is certainly not a 

 ruler or a judge. On the whole, Comte practises the 

 appeal to history with very little seriousness. The 

 predominant partner in his lawgiving is the subjectivity 

 of Auguste Comte. 



