CHAPTER VI 



COMTE'S LAWGIVING 



Its principles The separation of the temporal and spiritual powers Political 

 character of Comte's sociology Details Summary. 



IT is not possible for us to give a detailed sketch of the 

 Positive Polity. One can only notice in the briefest 

 fashion how the superstructure answers to the founda- 

 tion laid, or how the threads that have caught our 

 attention are intertwined in the pattern of the finished 

 fabric. 



We have noted already the following points : the 

 law of the three stages, or the alleged movement from 

 superstition to science ; the movement from militarism 

 to industrialism ; the separation of the spiritual and the 

 temporal powers ; and the restriction placed on the size 

 of states. 



The third of these may need a word or two of 

 explanation or comment. Under Positivism the separa- 

 tion of the spiritual and temporal powers is very much 

 a separation between men of theory and men of action. 

 By means of such a separation each class is to develop 

 its own especial excellences, and the theories will be 

 disinterested, while the practice will be what ? it is 

 hard to say, perhaps more perfectly expert. Surely if; 

 any proposal deserves Comte's favourite reproach of 



