186 Darwinism and Other Essays. 



the change from fetishism to polytheism been 

 accomplished without it ; but also, in the first of 

 the three great periods of civilization it did not 

 arise at all until very late, and was then but a 

 secondary force in the minds of men. 



It is in the metaphysical or revolutionary pe- 

 riod of modern society, extending from the twelfth 

 century to the present time, that we see the scep- 

 tical spirit in full operation. To this stage of 

 human evolution Mr. Buckle's proposition is ap- 

 plicable without any limitations. The applica- 

 tion he has himself given us, with great fullness 

 and detail, in the case of England, France, Spain, 

 and Scotland. In the brief space to which we are 

 here restricted, it would be vain to attempt to add 

 to the profuse and happily chosen illustrations 

 contained in those instructive chapters which our 

 author has principally devoted to this portion of 

 his subject. Nowhere else has the revolutionary 

 period of history been so admirably portrayed. 

 Nowhere else can we find a truer, a juster, a pro- 

 founder appreciation of the workings of the scep- 

 tical spirit. Here we discover no inconsistencies, 

 no errors of statement, vitiating the whole ar- 

 gument. Here Mr. Buckle reveals his wonder- 

 ful power. Here he draws sure conclusions from 

 well - ascertained data. For there can be no 



