The governors, in all cases appointed and removed by the central power, will be authorised to decide most of the administrative questions now settled at Paris; and each, governing his capital, will name the prefects of the subordinate towns. For the better understanding of this measure, the principal object of which I shall shortly explain, and which will serve as a type for the other Western nations, I feel bound here to give in detail the division of France, arranged according to the populousness of the capitals.

2. Marseilles

(Seine, Seine-et-Oise).

(Basses-Alpes, Vaucluse, Gard, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var).

(Rhône, Ain, Isère, Hautes-Alpes, Drôme).

(Lot, Dordogne, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, Landes, Basses-Pyrénées).

(Eure, Seine-Inférieure, Calvados, Orne, Manche). . (Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Inférieure, Morbihan, Côtesdu-Nord, Finistère.

. (Tarn-et-Garonne, Gers, Haute-Garonne, Hautes-Pyrénées, Ariége).

(Eure-et-Loire, Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Cher, Indre).
(Sarthe, Mayenne, Maine-et-Loire, Indre-et-Loire).
. (Aveyron, Tarn, Hérault, Aude, Pyrénées-Orien-
tales).

. (Nièvre, Allier, Creuse, Haute-Vienne, Corrèze).
(Loire, Ardèche, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, Haute-
Loire, Lozère).

(Yonne, Côte-d'Or, Saône-et-Loire, Jura, Doubs,
Haute-Saône).

(Vienne, Deux-Sèvres, Vendée, Charente-Inférieure, Charente).

(b) The religions mea

sure.

From the religious point of view, the middle period of the organic transition will be the complement of the first, so far as regards the general adhesion then given to the fundamental principle of Positivism, by superadding its moral device to its political formula, still however without any change in the French flag. In adopting the formula, Order and Progress,

the first phase expressed the decided determination to end the modern revolutionary movement by the entire reconcilement of the two ideas, a fusion unanimously called for since the outbreak of the final crisis. In the second phase, the true nature of the regeneration of the West is brought more prominently into view, by the announcement that the solution must be in its origin a moral solution; this is done by the formal acceptance of the law, Live for others. Then, and not till then, will women become an element, as they should be, in the movement of modern times; they are outside of it and alien to it, even after it has become constructive, so long as it embraces only the intellect and the action of man without bringing both alike under the control of feeling. The combination of the two mottoes will place the political in direct connection with the moral reorganisation, so preparing the way for the thoroughly religious character which is to mark the latest phase of the Western transition.

I am thus brought to the point at which, to complete the ordering of the intermediate phase, it is necessary to trace the progress of Positivism during its course.

Develope
Positivism

ment of

during the second phase. Establishment of abstract

fêtes.

Though this is the period in which the true religion must. enlarge its sway so as to include the doctrine in addition to the worship, without as yet embracing the regime, the priesthood in its work of regeneration even now, and that opportunely, enters on an extension of the system of abstract festivals, which was begun during the first period by the festivals of Humanity, of Women, and of the Dead. These characteristic solemnities, with a judicious admixture of concrete types, will receive an addition in a fourth annual festival,-suggested by the developement of the antagonism between the industrial classes, itself a result of the popular unions,-a festival which, while in every respect adapted to the transitional, may form part of the normal, state. The introduction, towards the end of the summer, of the Festival of Machinery by the Positive priest- Festival of hood, will be an effort on its part to anticipate and to mitigate all industrial disputes by honouring the main foundation of peaceful activity. Our systematic sanction of the spontaneous Fetichism of the race will allow us to idealize these admirable instruments, which give to labour its productiveness, to the labourer his true dignity. The festival in their honour will have a direct tendency to introduce everywhere the normal

Machines.

But the

second phase mainly concerns the doctrine.

Causes that

will lead to a regeneration of public instruction.

Positive schools es

the govern

ment.

manners, as being a corrective of the popular errors which, owing to our existing anarchy, reappear on every fresh extension of the power of machinery. It will show in the strongest light the need there is to discipline human activity, as its unchecked career soon involves a contradiction, in the utter opposition between the end and the means.

The festival of machines will encourage a brotherly subordination on the part of all the working classes to the class which is marked out as the normal leader, socially speaking, of the proletariate.

Important, however, as, in a special point of view, is this expansion of the abstract worship, it is the establishment, on a large scale, of schools for the encyclopædic education that will be the spiritual characteristic of the second phase, a phase essentially concerned with the doctrine; this measure I have now to explain.

The abolition of the triple theoretical budget will bring about the general recognition of the necessity and the feasibility of reorganising public instruction. It will be impossible then not to see, how completely the state of the Western world is adverse to all theological or metaphysical teaching-how favourable it is to all Positive tendencies. At the same time, the spread of subversive Utopias will reveal the true nature of the evil from which we are suffering, whereas it is now masked by the various material palliatives. The conclusive evidence of more than one contest will dispose all enlightened and honest conservatives to recognize in the Religion of Humanity the only power capable of disciplining the minds of men. Its aid will soon be in such high esteem as to inspire statesmen not merely with habitual respect for its counsels, but with the desire actively to contribute to its adoption by society.

The impulse thus given will act on the dictatorial governtablished by ment, before it become Positivist, and lead it to prepare for the developement of the true priesthood and the renovation of public education by founding schools, analogous in character to the schools of the normal state, the general type of which will be then familiar. Such schools will of necessity have mainly a philosophical result, but the ground on which the government founds them must be that they are to educate the various services which remain under its control. Their connection with these services, calculated as it is moreover to obviate or correct scientific vagueness of purpose, is as legiti

mate in the organic transition as it was in the last phase of the revolution. It foreshadows, in the cases where it applies, the general connection between the systematisation of practical life and the encyclopædic training. Far from regretting that the Positive School is not destined by the dictatorial government to recruit the new priesthood, we ought to congratulate ourselves on our escape from such a violation of true principles in reference to the spiritual reorganisation. It has ever been my endeavour to make it felt, that the Positive education, common to all, should suffice for all, the clergy not excepted, allowing for the special preparation which is always a matter of free individual exertion. And yet notwithstanding, the transitional schools, destined to initiate the movement for the complete renovation of public instruction, will naturally be peculiarly advantageous to the free corporation which presides over that movement.

be no

Polytech.

To ensure the efficiency of these schools, in their particular There must as in their general objects, it is important to preserve them monopoly. from the corrupting influence of monopoly, the ruin hitherto of all such institutions. The empirical limitation, and the irrational intermingling of the abstract sciences; the entire L'École absence of publicity; evils constantly magnified by the aca- nique. demical system, these causes combined in the irremediable failure of a school which since its reestablishment has been constantly deteriorating. But the degradation of the Polytechnic school (its name sounds ironical), its intellectual no less than its moral degeneracy, was due, above all, to the fatal mistake of its illustrious founders, who thought to ensure its success by giving it a privilege which has made it at once retrograde and anarchical.

Enlightened by this blunder, the dictator will shun conferring any monopoly on the nursery for rightly trained minds which is to take the place of this abortive institution and all its adjuncts. The various services for which the Positive school offers a training will always be recruited by open competition; the only advantage of its pupils in such competition will be its better teaching, and this will not unfrequently be counterbalanced in their competitors by natural abilities and favourable circumstances. It is by this more than anything else, that its establishment will be a decisive prelude to the systematic remodelling of general education, as distinguished

Open compepublic ser

tition for the

vices, so far

as the lower

grade is con

cerned.

The services most pre

from all special objects. For exactness' sake in regard to this fundamental condition, it is necessary at this point to explain how we reconcile, and we are bound to reconcile,-a judicious application of the principle of competition with due respect for the prerogative of the dictatorship. The universal adoption of the competitive method is only possible if limited to the lower grade, where, far from hampering the government, it affords a better choice and preserves it from all pressure. But, thus introduced, its agents must owe all promotion to their actual services, without having to stand a contest which is as illusory as it is degrading where there is a direct test for the functionaries. In all cases the intermediate grade will be reached by seniority, allowing for individual exceptions; and the highest grade will be a matter of free choice, such choice, in case of need, not limited to the department actually concerned.

Meant for all branches of the public service, the Positive Jared for are school will yet exert its formative powers most particularly on Justice, Dip- behalf of those which are most able to facilitate the transiand Admini- tion of the West; systematically directing, that is, justice,

those of

lomacy,

stration.

Judges.

Diplomatists.

diplomacy, and administration. The judicial functions must ultimately, under better conditions than in the Middle Ages and in Antiquity, be resumed by the industrial patriciate as its normal appendage; but they will continue to give rise to a special class till such time as the chiefs of industry have risen to their true position. This special body, which, since the Roman prætors, has been, as a matter of history, connected with the spontaneous growth of a purely human morality, will welcome the extinction of empirical and declamatory institutions, and the substitution in their place of schools, in which profane science leads up to sacred science, as a preparation for the direct professional training of magistrates worthy of the name. Diplomatists, as the judges, had their origin in the confusion of the two powers during the modern revolutionary period, but they are, to a greater degree than the judges, predisposed to second the impulse of the religion which is to end it. Weary alike of scepticism and hypocrisy, they have so far tested the inadequacy of purely political measures as to be ready to welcome a moral regeneration, the offspring of a ynthesis which will honour their services and extend them, hough ulteriorly it extinguishes the profession. But it is