SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF CARLYLE, MILL, EMERSON ARNOLD, RUSKIN, AND SPENCER WITH AN EPILOGUE ON SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION BY JOHN M. ROBERTSON KRISHNA ; ” THE PERVERSION OF SCOTLAND;" &c. REESE LIBRARY CALIFORNIA LONDON PATERNOSTER SQUARE G7 R6 1891 PREFACE. MAIN The following papers, excepting the Epilogue, which condenses an unwritten lecture, were first prepared and delivered last winter as a course of lectures for the South Place Ethical Society, London, under the title “Modern Criticisms of Life.” The title “ Modern Humanists” is now substituted because of a strong representation made to me that “Criticism of Life" is an esoteric conception, which has not yet conquered the general intelligence, however wide be the literary vogue of the phrase. "Humanist" is, perhaps, not quite a popular conception either, but the significance of that term is less easily missed, and it properly covers the different lines of thought dealt with. At the same time, the original title determined the small amount of space given to the purely literary side of the work of the writers discussed. To a certain extent some of the lectures have been extended, and all have been revised; but they substantially keep the lecture form, which, in respect of some past experience, I trust will be more conformable to the general reader's convenience than it has been to my own bookish prejudice. I have attempted to increase the value of the book so far as may be by adding a number of references and elucidations. This has been done more particularly in the section on Carlyle, for the reason that that section stands the greatest chance of exciting opposition, and so most needs to be backed by evidence and testimony. I |