vin NATURAL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS 337 



goes about in broad daylight, in company with the 

 dogmas of absolute ethics, political and other, and 

 seems to be as lively as ever. It would seem to be 

 to no purpose that the history of every branch of 

 physical and historical science teems with examples 

 of the fate which befalls the hasty generaliser 

 who numbers, rather than weighs, supposed facts ; 

 and treats the rough approximations to truth 

 obtained by the observation of highly complex 

 phenomena as if they had the precision of geome- 

 trical theorems. 



There is, unfortunately, abundant evidence that 

 the vicious method of a priori political speculation 

 which I have illustrated from the writings of 

 Rousseau is not only in full vigour, but that it is 

 exerting an influence upon the political action of 

 our contemporaries which is extremely serious. No 

 better evidence of the fact need be adduced than 

 the avidity with which the writings of political 

 teachers of this school have been and are being 

 read, especially among the more intelligent of 

 the working classes; and I doubt if any book 

 published during the last ten years has obtained a 

 larger circulation among them, not only in this 

 country but in the United States, than " Progress 

 and Poverty." The other day there was a rumour 

 that some devoted disciple of its author, Mr. Henry 

 George, had bequeathed a large sum of money to 

 him in order to aid in the propagation of his 

 doctrines. 



VOL. I Z 



