OF REALITY. 427 



The teaching of philosophy in Germany has of late, 

 through the growth of the scientific and industrial 

 spirit, moved somewhat towards that position which has 

 always existed in England. This we may define by 

 saying that the solution of the highest philosophical 

 problems must be found, not in and through the schools, 

 but outside of them, under the practical influences of 

 life. To this end the work of the schools can only 

 be preparatory and introductory. But that such pre- 

 paration must be complete, circumspect, and systematic, 

 and not casual and fragmentary, this the English 

 Universities have learned in modern times largely 

 through acquaintance with and appreciation of the 

 German systems and method. 



In the course of the nineteenth century the position 

 of philosophy, as an element of culture and a subject of 

 higher teaching, has thus undergone two great changes. 

 The failure of the constructive systems first of all im- 

 pressed lastingly on the thinking mind the necessity 

 of bringing philosophic discussions into immediate con- 

 tact with the methods and the results of the special 

 sciences. We now hear it proclaimed that no thinker 

 is qualified to deal with the great problems of philo- 

 sophy who has not been trained and disciplined through 

 some special research where he has practised the true 

 methods of inquiry, be they exact or critical ; pref- 



le caractere general serait la pre- 

 dominance de ce qu'on pourrait 

 appeler un r^alisme ou positivisme 

 spiritualiste, ayant pour principe 

 genorateur la conscience que I'esprit 

 preud en lui-ineme d'une existence 

 dont il reconnait que toute autre 

 existence derive et depend, et qui 



n'est autre que son action " (p. 

 258). 



In the light of the development 

 of philosophical thought during the 

 last fifty years, especially in France, 

 the last pages are well worth read- 



