03 - Human Sacrifice by John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton

In this intriguing essay, Lord Acton responds to the exchange of letters between Sir Robert Peel and Lord Macaulay, aiming to challenge the widely held belief that human sacrifice was solely the practice of barbaric and uncivilized societies. Acton argues that in some instances, such rituals may stem from sophisticated theological developments. At the urging of Lord Stanhope, Acton‚s thought-provoking piece was published in the Home and Foreign Review in 1863. Summary by Jeff Allen.