a "Supreme
Essence," a "Universal Principle" or a "First Cause," and seeks to
discover its hiding-place. Third, he ceases to hunt out the unknowable,
and is content to live and work for a positive present good, fully
believing that what is best today can not fail to bring the best results
tomorrow.

Harriet had long considered that one reason for the very slow advancement
of civilization was that men had ever busied themselves with supernatural
concerns; and in fearsome endeavors to make themselves secure for another
world had neglected this. Man had tried to make peace with the skies
instead of peace with his neighbor. She also thought she saw clearly that
right living was one thing, and a belief in theological dogma another.
That these things sometimes go together, she of course admitted, but a
belief in a "vicarious atonement" and a "miraculous conception" she did
not believe made a man a gentler husband, a better neighbor or a more
patriotic citizen. Man does what he does because he thinks at the moment
it is the best thing to do. And if you could make men believe that peace,
truth, honesty and industry were the best standards to adopt--bringing the
best results--all men would adopt them.

There are no such things as reward and punishment, as these terms are
ordinarily used: there are only good results and bad results. We sow, and
reap what we have sown.

Miss Martineau had long believed these things, but Comte proved
them--proved them in six ponderous tomes--and she set herself the task to
simplify his philosophy.

There is one point of attraction that Comte's thought had for Harriet
Martineau that I have never seen mentioned in print--that is, his mental
attitude on the value of love in a well-ordered life.

In the springtime of his manhood, Auguste Comte, sensitive, confiding,
generous, loved a beautiful girl. She did not share his intellectual
ambitions, his divine aspiration: she was only a beautiful animal. Man
proposes, but is not always accepted. She married another, and Comte was
disconsolate--for a day.

He pondered the subject, read the lives of various great men, talked with
monks and sundry friars gray, and after five years wrote out at length the
reasons why a man, in order to accomplish a far-reaching and splendid
work, must live the life of a celibate. "To achieve," said Comte, "you
must be married to your work."

Comte lived for some time content in this philosophy, constantly
strengthenin