The Five Groups.

The philosophies of history fall into five groups—religious, classical, romantic, intellectual, materialist.

The religious interpretation of history naturally made the best butt for bright remarks, particularly when Englishmen were concerned. It was the English belief that, wherever God had any particularly important work to do on earth, he looked around for an Englishman.

The classical, romantic and intellectual philosophies were regarded with a critical eye, and one gathered the impression that the speaker was inclined to favour the Marxian interpretation.

Here are three quotations from Dr. Beaglehole on the subject of Marx:

"If Marxists have distorted the exclusive importance to be given to economic factors, it is because they were trying to make themselves heard over a very annoying din."

"Marx gave to history a strategy and an object, and deeds to do. As a philosophy of history it is not a closed system (like the Hegelian) which is impossible; it admits of growth, and it is probably not final, but it works better than any yet devised."

"It is doubtful if any philosopher in the next two hundred years will be able to think or write except within the shadow, tremendous and lengthening of Marx."

We should mention that at this meeting the Historical Society adopted a constitution complete in five clauses and most efficiently Fascist.