WHERE ARNOLD FAILED. 319 tion that every part of the earth had been searched, and that all the newly found races were pitiably weak, and have the alternative of being in time either totally extinguished or absorbed into the European religion, manners, language, and institutions, without any capacity to originate, naturalise, or improve. There he stopped, and darted upon the theory of Brahminism, that we are living in the latest stage of civilisation— in the Kali Yog, if we speak in the language of the Indian Brahmin,—though he with characteristic cunning attempts his makeshift from unworthy despondency, by fixing for his Yog a period of 432,000 years, out of which he calculates only 5,000 years as already elapsed; thus making the commencement of his last age surprisingly approximating with the Mosaic date of creation. If in these 5,000 years three civilisations-the Hindoo, Greek, and modern European-have run their course, surely he does not calculate, though he may profess it to the simpleton world, that with 427,000 years that have yet to elapse, mankind will not have to behold yet mightier changes and higher wonders than in the past three golden ages. Much less, then, should an European doctor despond in his prospects of the future, which the very conception of the progress of the present forbids. We may doubt the nearness of our glorious consummation; but when the tendency of our course has been made clear to us; when the signs of the times have been read and truly interpreted, when progress has been found compatible with age and the human species, when one order has the power to produce another of mightier consequences, and elements amalgamate to give rise to a superior mixture, and when exhaustion has been unerringly discovered to be perfectly incompatible with Nature and her workings; we may then assuredly hope, under conditions as yet wholly recondite, or but partially discerned, for a time when a nobler society shall spring up, and a nobler order of thought adorn, and more perfect achievements distinguish, the advanced age of the world, peopled only by "Cheerful creatures, whose most sinful deeds Are but the overbeating of the heart, And flow of too much happiness." CHAPTER XII. THE FUTURE OF INDIA AND THE EAST DR. ARNOLD's view of History not wholly desponding.-Guizot's just discernment of History.-The grounds of Dr. Arnold's theory.-His opponents.—Mr. Greg in England, and the Author of "Lectures on Man" in America.-Their advocacy of Negro civilisation.-Their errors not essentially differing from Dr. Arnold.-Exposed on an historical survey. -Twofold tendency of Arabian Civilisation.-Greek, Roman, and Modern European Civilisation Arian in origin.Celts and Teutons of Europe.-Their stream of Emigration from Asia.-Arians never found as a fishing or hunting tribe.-Distinction between Arabian or Mogul progress and that of the Arian nations.-Freedom only enjoyed by the Arians.-A glorious page always to be found in the history of the Arian nations.-Capability of degeneracy among the Arians.-The superior prerogative of the Arians even in the lowest state of civilisation.-Supposed influence of the climate insufficient to account for the intellectual and moral differences among races.-Influences of Government and religion also insufficient on this score. Individual exceptions always to be found among the Arian tribes and Negro races.-Third ground of our theory. The origin of all differences amongst the Arians and other races, especially the Negro, to be traced in the unfathomable plan of Providence. -Civilisation has been running Westward during the last three thousand years.-It is now in the extreme West of the world. In the usual tendency it must hence come Eastward.--India is the only country to receive it.-Characteristics of modern civilisation.-Anomalies of modern civilisation. Can the present be the latest stage of human destiny?-Three principal causes of our social anomalies.-Supposition of the present exhaustion of all human capability insufficient to disprove future progress.-How every science and art may be considerably advanced without supposing our capability being at all increased, or the force and scope of the action of our mind enlarged.-We are not chimerical in our speculations.-Conclusion. We cannot with too great humility dissent from a learned and amiable author like Dr. Arnold in his views stated at the close of our last chapter; but knowing as we do that some exalted minds have already differed from him, we feel less constraint in our protest than we otherwise should. Our esteem and admiration of the head master of Rugby school, the preacher of the "Christian Course and Character," the editor of the best edition of Thucydides, and the author of the most valuable "Introductory Lectures on Modern History," and of unrivalled fragments of a "History of Rome," have always not only been great but unbounded; and we do admit, that for an Indian youth barely out of his teens, and just fresh from his even incomplete studies, to comment upon the views of such a learned English author would ARNOLD'S VIEW OF HISTORY. 323 argue the most contemptible presumption and vanity, were he not to submit his remarks in moderation, caution, and humility. That we protest against Dr. Arnold in no spirit of idle paradox, but on sincere conviction, the reader will indulgently allow, even if we have failed to prove it to him from want of a matured judgment and adroitness of argumentation. Dr. Arnold himself did not confidently set forth his views; his faith in history has not been, though staggering, yet decidedly of a despairing character, and in the same inaugural lecture that we have noticed before, a little further on we find the following hopeful longings: "I am well aware that to state this as a matter of positive belief would be the extreme of presumption; there may be nations reserved hereafter for great purposes of God's providence, whose fitness for their appointed work will not betray itself till the work and the time for doing it be come. There was a period perhaps when the ancestors of the Athenians were to be no otherwise distinguished from their barbarian neighbours than by some finer taste in the decorations of their arms, and something of a loftier spirit in the songs which told of the exploits of their warriors; and when Aristotle |