Year: 1873




this volume may produce feeling of disappointment
a, readers who demand rigidlv systematic method
An the elucdation of profound questions. Mr.. Bage-
not does not present his views in the form
af consecutive exposition. His work is sug-
restiye, rather than constructive. He Is so far
from dogmatism that his statements have
the air of experimental approaches towards
conviction, rather than the enunciaton OF POSITIVE
truth The episodes with which his volume abounus
are perpetual surprise and are always charming In
manner and expression even when they seem to be
tnopportune and perhaps adapted TO divert the at
tenton of the reader from the main points at ISSUE


Stin Mr. Bagehot has definite and earnest pur-
nose in the composition of his work Ine want OF
continuity in its arrangement is matter OF style
rather than Of substance. His ideas are to so great
an extent the original and fresh products of his
own mind that they are not easily fitted into the
grooves of current formulas. The subject of his
work has few if any precedents and in the
present stage OF inquiry it is natural that it should
can forth tentative rather than exhaustive afhrma-
tions He undertakes TO present, at least an ap-
proximate solution of the problems involved IN the
conditions Of progress, and the development OF oli
ferent civilizations in the course Of history.


The physcal element in the solution is the perma-
pent impression which is made upon the nervous
organization by hereditary influences. The de-
scendants of cultivated parents have greater apI
tude for cultivation than the descendants OF such as
are not cultivated This tendency accumulateS
an an increasing ratio for many generations. The
transmitted nervous force forms the connective
tissue of civilization binding the successive ages to
each other. enabling each to begin with an Inn
movement on the last and making each civilization
NOT set of detached dots but line OF color, en-
hancing shade by shade' These principles are
Irrespective of the nature of matter, OF the nature
ef mind. They are equally true upon the theory
that mind acts upon matter that there is no @tVel'
but only mind that there is no mlnd, OUT Only mat
Ger. or upon the more subtle modern theory that
both mind and matter are different fofnS ol 'ne
same hidden and unknOwable force.


II we 80 back TO the dawn of history, and catch
glimpse of patriarchal man, we find him not with
anv relics of prior civilization, but with an i'm
perfect knowledge of the simpler arts, with few
tanned animals and an acquaintance with the course
ef nature so far as it is shown in the seasons and
the condition of simple tribes. His mind united
the character of childhood with the passions
of men, While modern nations are formed by
M inherited drill with the traces Of the laws OF
their fathers in the intimate structure of society,"
the early races mad such inheritance they were
the descendants of people who did what was night
In their own eyes born to no tutored habits, no con-
servatve bonds, at the mercy of every impulse and
blown by every passion. No one can now easily con-
ceve of the condition of people without clocks or
watches among whom it wasia serious difficulty to
know the hour Of the day. But it is st less easy to
fancy the unstable minds Of such neither knew
nature which is the clOck-wOTk of material cyiza-
ton nor possessed polity which is a kind OF clock
work to neral civilization. They never could have
known what 10 expect The whole habit Of antioi-
patton which forms an essential element OF our
minds was one of which they had no conception.


The first want of the primeval man was the infiu-
enee of law The principle of 4" natural selection"
predomnated in the early history of the race. The
strongest killed ont the weakest An efficient pohty
was necessary to any degree of social develop
ment. The obedience Of men to a fixed rule
was the most important step to be gained
In those times the quantity of government
was of greater consequence than its
quality. An aggregate of families, even with an
uncertain allegiance to single head would have
had an incompatible advantage over a set of fami-
hes without regular authority Under those circum-
stances, although good rule was better than bad
one any rule was better than The first history
Of the Aryan race presents king clothed with great
power although at that period absolute despOtism
was impossible.


The idea that progress is the normal fact in human
society according to Mr.. BagehOt is refuted by
history The anoients had no conception Of progress
They did not even entertain the idea. Oriental
nations are now the same that they always have
been. Savages do not improve. Only few nations
of European origin make any advance The estab-
hshment of poity was the first requisite to pro-


ress Man had to tame himself The tribes, that were
most devoted to law at the first the struggle
for life became the conquerors. At that time the
savage virtue Of the race existed In full vigor Yhe
difference between tribe and tribe consisted in their
relative faculty Of conference. The slightest symp-
tom of legal development, the least indication of
military bond is then sufficient to turn the SCALE
The compact tribes win because the compact tribes
are the tamest. The beginning Of civilization is
q military advantage. The best nations conquered
the worst. BY the possession of one advantage or
another the best competitor overcame the inferior
competitor So long as there was continual fighting
there was improvement in martial virtues. And in
the carly times the martial virtues, those which
tended to success in war, were in many cases the
same as those which contributed to the establish
ment of civil polty. The love Of law, for example
disciplined nations aud the disciplined nations were
sure of victory.


The main force which molds men IN society, as we
now see it, Mr. Bagehot explains to be the power Of
limitation. The patronage Of favored forms is an
efficient element in the formation of national char
acter Some attractive type catches the eye Of the
nation, and is embodied in its future experience


I'VE must not think that this imitation is voluntary
or even conscious On the contrary it has its seat
mainly in very obscure parts Of the mind, whose
notions, so far from having been consciously pro-
duced are hardly felt TO exist; so far from being
conceived beforehand not even felt at the time
The main seat of the initiative part of nature is
cur belief and the predisposng to believe
this or disinclining to believe that, are among
the obscurest parts of nature" The influence Of
this principle happily illustrated in Its application
90 literature


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