236 HISTORY. 



other countries ; as, for instance, to bring together the 

 three centuries of undisturbed Roman power in Britain, 

 and the equal period from the accession of Elizabeth 

 to the present day. This method, simple as it is, 

 suffices to correct many erroneous impressions, and to 

 explain various seeming anomalies in the history of 

 mankind. History can never be rightly studied with- 

 out the aid of these comparisons or parallelisms of 

 time. 



After all, we must be content to take this word 

 History as a general term, denoting insulated and im- 

 perfect records of portions of mankind, in certain 

 countries and during certain periods lost, moreover, 

 in utter darkness when seeking to go backwards to the 

 first presence of man on the earth. The fossil history 

 of lower forms of animal life, at periods far anterior in 

 the depth of time, is better known to us than are the 

 first ages of the human race. The question as to the 

 antiquity of man has, indeed, passed from the historian 

 to the geologist, whose researches, though not attain- 

 ing actual numerical results, do yet indicate rela- 

 tive dates, and a point of time more remote than any 

 other record or tradition we possess. 



Mr. Buckle in his recent works has sought to give 

 to history the character of a science. His project was 

 too ambitious, and came to an end even before the 

 scaffolding of the edifice was completed. The condi- 

 tions pf a science are in truth wholly wanting ; while 

 as a branch of positive philosophy, in the system of M. 

 Comte, the claim of history is little better assured. 

 But regarded simply as a portion of human know- 



