History gives us many
examples, in which superstition, many again in which profligacy, have
been the patent cause of a nation's deoradation. It does not, as far as
I am aware, give us a single case of a nation's thriving and developing
when deeply infected with either of those two vices.

These, the broad and simple laws of moral retribution, we may see in
history; and (I hope) something more than them; something of a general
method, something of an upward progress, though any thing but an
irresistible or inevitable one. For I have not argued that there is no
order, no progress--God forbid. Were there no order to be found, what
could the student with a man's reason in him do, but in due time go
mad?--Were there no progress, what could the student with a man's heart
within him do, but in due time break his heart, over the sight of a chaos
of folly and misery irredeemable?--I only argue that the order and the
progress of human history cannot be similar to those which govern
irrational beings, and cannot (without extreme danger) be described by
metaphors (for they are nothing stronger) drawn from physical science. If
there be an order, a progress, they must be moral; fit for the guidance
of moral beings; limited by the obedience which those moral beings pay to
what they know.

And such an order, such a progress as that, I have good hope that we
shall find in history.

We shall find, as I believe, in all the ages, God educating man;
protecting him till he can go alone, furnishing him with the primary
necessaries, teaching him, guiding him, inspiring him, as we should do to
our children; bearing with him, and forgiving him too, again and again,
as we should do: but teaching him withal (as we shall do if we be wise)
in great part by his own experience, making him test for himself, even by
failure and pain, the truth of the laws which have been given him;
discover for himself, as much as possible, fresh laws, or fresh
applications of laws; and exercising his will and faculties, by trusting
him to himself wherever he can be trusted without his final destruction.
This is my conception of history, especially of Modern History--of
history since the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. I express myself
feebly enough, I know. And even could I express what I mean perfectly,
it would still be but a partial analogy, not to be pushed into details.
As I said just now, were the true law of human progress revealed to us to-
morr