80 INTRODUCTION. 



than in America; where have political theories, the original 

 rights of man, the ideas of liberty, equality, and brother- 

 hood, been more widely put to the test ; where have reli- 

 gious beliefs entered into closer contact with the work of 

 the day ; or where in our age has the simple rule of early 

 Christianity been more successfully put into practice ? 

 An account of the application of thought taken merely 

 from our European experience, where half our endeavour 

 must always be spent in clearing away obstacles, in 

 removing the debris of antiquated institutions, in over- 

 coming prejudice, or battling with evils which have grown 

 to uncontrollable magnitude, would give us but a poor 

 notion of the influence of thought over material circum- 

 stances, and a very exaggerated one of the inertia of the 

 34. mechanism of older societies. With the work of the in- 



This is not 



a history of ventor, the practical statesman, or the lawgiver, I have thus 



invention 



caipo p imcs'" notn i n g to do at present; only in cases where practical 

 problems have immediately reacted upon scientific research, 

 or where social questions have given rise to special theo- 

 ries, shall we be compelled to cast a glance outside of the 

 inner world of thought into which I invite my readers to 

 retire. 



This inner world has, indeed, not been all rest and peace 

 and quiet development. No age has been so rich in rival 

 theories, so subversive of old ideas, so destructive of prin- 

 ciples which stood firm for many ages, as ours. It is not 

 my intention to emphasise this critical or radical tendency 



35. 



be co^sid*- niore than is necessary. True to the original view which I 

 contra!? have already expressed, I intend to look upon thought as 

 tatted* a constructive, not a destructive agency ; on the world of 



structive 



attitude. ideas as a positive acquisition, not as a mere counterpart 



