Science in Public Affairs 



abstract, and general statement of culture policy 

 from the sociological standpoint still probably 

 remains that made more than half a century ago 

 by Comte in the " Positive Polity," which was 

 really the Utopia of his later thought, educated 

 and matured by the preliminary preparation of 

 the " Positive Philosophy." Fortunately, the four 

 massive volumes of his " Positive Polity " were 

 condensed and summarised by Comte himself, 

 and the contentious elements for the most part 

 omitted, in the single small and cheap volume 

 translated by Dr. Bridges as a " General View of 

 Positivism." Ranking with Comte's statement of 

 culture policy in its comprehensiveness of out- 

 look and far-sighted vision, but written from the 

 standpoint of contemporary science, and there- 

 fore appropriately detailed and concrete in refer- 

 ence, here and now, in plan and section and 

 perspective, to a particular city, is Professor 

 Geddes' recent book, " City Development/' already 

 cited for its geographical vision, and now for its 

 sociological ideals. These two books, from their 

 different but correlated standpoints, express a 

 doctrine whose isolated elements are everywhere 

 recognisable. It is evident, therefore, that the 

 life out of which the doctrine is fermenting is 

 in active growth. If, then, they are not already 

 here, we may be sure that the Sociological Friars 

 are coming. 



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