George Grote to Sir William Molesworth (c.1838-40): 'Have you read Comte's "Traite de Philosophie Positive," of which a third volume has just been published? It seems a work full of profound and original thinking [...] I am sorry to say, however, that I do not find in it the solution of those perplexities respecting the fundamental principles of geometry which I have never yet been able to untie to my own satisfaction. Nor can I at all tolerate the unqualified manner in which he strikes out morals and metaphysics from the list of positive sciences.'