History of Civilization in England, Vol. 2 of 3 (Classic Reprint)

English mind, has led me into a digression, which, so far from being foreign to the design of this I ntroduction, is absolutely necessary for a right understanding of it. In this, as in many other respects, there is a marked analogy between investigations concerning the structure of society and investigations concerning the human body. Thus, it has been found, that the best way of arriving at a theory of disease is by beginning with the theory of health ;and that the foundation of all sound pathology must be first sought in an observation, not of the abnormal, but of the normal functions of life. Just in the same way, it will, I believe, be found, that the best method of arriving at great social truths, is by first investigating those cases in which society has developed itself according to its own laws, and in which the governing powers have least opposed themselves to the spirit of their times.1 It is on this account that, in 1T he question as to whether a neglect of it has introduced the study of Lormal phenomena confusion into every work I have should or should not precede aeen on general or comparative the study of abnormal ones, is history. For this preliminary of the greatest importance ;and being unsettled, there has bees YOL. II.
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