methods of investigation adopted in physical researches to the
investigation of the phenomena of society. Hence, I confess, I should
like to see one addition made to the excellent scheme of education
propounded for the College, in the shape of provision for the teaching
of Sociology. For though we are all agreed that party politics are to
have no place in the instruction of the College; yet in this country,
practically governed as it is now by universal suffrage, every man who
does his duty must exercise political functions. And, if the evils which
are inseparable from the good of political liberty are to be checked, if
the perpetual oscillation of nations between anarchy and despotism is to
be replaced by the steady march of self-restraining freedom; it will be
because men will gradually bring themselves to deal with political, as
they now deal with scientific questions; to be as ashamed of undue haste
and partisan prejudice in the one case as the other; and to believe
that the machinery of society is at least as delicate as that of a
spinning jenny, and as little likely to be improved by the meddling of
those who have not taken the trouble to master the principles of its
action.
FOOTNOTES:
[6] "Essays in Criticism," p. 37.
Transcriber's Notes:
Page 26--Typo corrected--haye changed to have.
Page 47--Typo corrected--fall changed to falls.
Page 93--Typo corrected--superflous changed to superfluous.
Page 123--Typo corrected--defiinte changed to definite.
Page 155--Typo corrected--removed double word "that".
Page 170--Typo corrected--sucession changed to succession.