192 PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



forming the highest step of the ladder. The remark 

 suggests itself that Comte, at the end of his career, thus 

 arrived at a truth which unconsciously formed the 

 background of all ethical speculation in this country, and 

 this is that profitable discussion of the principles of 

 Morality and of their application can only be carried on 

 where a more or less settled order of society, an organis- 

 ation, already exists. As this, according to Comte, did 

 not exist in his country at the time, all his later efforts 

 seem to have been concentrated on devising a scheme 

 for the reorganisation of society upon the basis of the 

 positive philosophy. He really never got beyond this ; 

 he neither clearly describes by what means the great 

 change has to be brought about, nor seriously makes 

 an attempt to establish the principles of morality. 

 Had he done so he would have been forced to bestow 

 more attention and appreciation upon the labours of 

 contemporary thinkers in this country. 



The study of history formed the leading thought in 

 Auguste Comte's philosophy, and it has been admitted 

 even by those who do not agree with the latter, that 

 his view of the historical development of modern civilisa- 

 tion contains many profound and many brilliant ex- 

 positions. Somewhat earlier than Comte, Hegel had 

 already in Germany given prominence to the study of 

 history and incorporated this study as an integral part 

 of his system. It is interesting to see to what this 

 independent movement towards historical research con- 

 ducted Hegel and his followers. 



The interest with which Hegel approached the histori- 

 cal problem was not ethical in the narrower sense nor 



