PEEFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



THE first edition of this Essay is not yet out of 

 print. But a proposal to translate it into French, 

 having been made by Professor Bethore, I have 

 decided to prepare a new edition free from the im 

 perfections which criticism and further thought have 

 disclosed, rather than allow these imperfections to be 

 reproduced. 



The occasion has almost tempted me into some 

 amplification. Further arguments against the classi 

 fication of M. Comte, and further arguments in sup 

 port of the classification here set forth, have pleaded 

 for utterance. But reconsideration has convinced 

 me that it is both needless and useless to say more 

 needless because those who are not committed will 

 think the case sufficiently strong as it stands, and 

 useless because to those who are committed additional 

 reasons will seem as inadequate as the original ones. 



This last conclusion is thrust on me by seeing how 

 little M. Littre, the leading expositor of M. Comte, 

 is influenced by fundamental objections the force of 

 which he admits. After quoting one of these, lie 



