EXCURSIONS OF AN EVOLUTIONIST 



as formerly, mankind having remained substan- 

 tially unchanged in their moral condition. But 

 they no longer use such rigorous and appalling 

 means of constraining the opinions of their 

 fellow-creatures, because for one thing 

 they have not the power to do so. And they 

 have lost the power to do so, because such a 

 general scepticism has come to pervade the 

 community that the dogma of exclusive salva- 

 tion has become discredited. The decline of 

 persecution has therefore according to Mr. 

 Buckle been determined solely by intellec- 

 tual causes, and does not indicate any improve- 

 ment in the average character or advance in the 

 ethical knowledge of mankind. 



In this view there is some truth, but it is so 

 mixed up with error that the total statement is 

 of little worth. That the growth of scepticism, 

 or increasing lack of certainty about transcen- 

 dental opinions, has had much to do with di- 

 minishing religious persecution, is not to be 

 denied. But that the average persecutor is a 

 man whose horrid actions are dictated by an un- 

 selfish interest in the welfare of his fellow-men, 

 is a much more questionable proposition. It has 

 not been customary to credit religious bigotry 

 with such lofty motives, if motives prompt- 

 ing such atrocious actions can at all properly be 

 called lofty, and we do not find Mr. Buckle 

 disposed to be particularly lenient in his judg- 



