IX.] Mr. Buckle's Fallacies. 135 



been disputed ; it is that the author has been charged 

 with inaccuracies and errors which would disgrace the 

 composition of a school-boy. Without repeating or 

 taking further notice of such accusations, which savour 

 no less of ignorance than of a spirit of unfair depre- 

 ciation, we propose to examine Mr. Buckle's leading 

 propositions, in the hope of ascertaining how far they 

 explain the phenomena of society. 



Proceeding on the method of investigation pointed 

 out by Comte, Mr. Buckle claims to have established, 

 in the volumes now before us, four great laws, which 

 " are to be deemed the basis of the history of civili- 

 sation." ^ 



The first of these fundamental laws is, " that the 

 progress of mankind depends on the success with 

 which the laws of phenomena are investigated, and 

 on the extent to which a knowledge of those laws is 

 diffused." In laying down this proposition, Mr. 

 Buckle can, of course, make no claims to originality. 

 It is simply a clear and precise statement of the 

 position taken by all the foremost thinkers of the 

 age. For example, Mr. Lewes says, "The evolu- 

 tions of Humanity correspond with the evolutions 

 of Thought." 2 Mr. Mill says, "We are justified in 



^ Buckle, vol. ii. p. i. 



^ Philosophy of Ihe Sciences, p. 23. 



