1909.] BRYCE— REMINISCENCES OF CHARLES DARWIN. v 



to say the least of it, very doubtful whether Auguste Comte, for 

 whom so much is claimed by his disciples, really made any sub- 

 stantial addition to historical science. There is little, if any, ground 

 for thinking — I have certainly never seen any evidence to show — 

 that either Mr. Herbert Spencer or Mr. Buckle has brought any 

 contribution of substantial value to either historical and political or 

 to economic science. Indeed, as regards these two last named 

 writers, most historians would say that it is hardly possible that 

 they could have made any contribution to the knowledge of history 

 as a science, because when they came to the details of history, they 

 showed themselves quite uncritical — they were not accustomed to 

 weigh evidence, or to test it by historical standards, and the general 

 ideas which they put forward are old ideas, which were perfectly 

 familiar to competent historians before either of them touched the 

 pen. The case, however, with regard to the great thinkers in the 

 field of natural history, and particularly as regards Charles Darwin, 

 is a different case. We all admit and gratefully recognize the im- 

 mense general intellectual stimulus which the writings of Mr. Dar- 

 win gave to everybody who was working in any field of enquiry by 

 scientific methods. He stimulated all serious students, whatever 

 their subject was, because his researches opened up fields new to 

 many historians, and he pursued his enquiries — I will not say by 

 new methods, but with a greater perfection and finish of method 

 and with a more suggestive fertility of mind than perhaps had been 

 done before. His books were read and pondered on by not a few 

 men of letters, who had previously known very little of science. In 

 that way, therefore, the effect of Darwin's writings was very great 

 indeed. Moreover, he gave an example of careful and patient ob- 

 servation, of scrupulous detachment, of exquisite candor and fair- 

 ness of mind in the process of investigation, which told very greatly 

 on everyone who followed his researches and reflected on his con- 

 clusions. 



Coming particularly to what is called the doctrine of Evolution, 

 let it be at once admitted that in the branch of history that belongs 

 to primitive man, that considers the growth of our race in its very 

 earliest stages, and the development of his moral ideas and social 

 habits, some of Mr. Darwin's suggestions were striking and illumina- 



