i867.] EVOLUTION AND RELIGION. 247 



in a difficulty, than that she should puzzle too long over 

 adverse and probably mistaken or thoughtless criticisms. 



At the same time I feel that you have a perfect right to 

 refuse to answer such questions as I have asked you. Science 

 must take her path, and Theology hers, and they will meet 

 when and where and how God pleases, and you are in no 

 sense responsible for it if the meeting-point should still be 

 very far off. If I receive no answer to this letter I shall infer 

 nothing from your silence, except that you felt I had no right 

 to make such inquiries of a stranger. 



[My father replied as follows :] 



Down, December 14, [1866]. 



Dear Madam, — It would have gratified me much if I 

 could have sent satisfactory answers to your questions, or, 

 indeed, answers of any kind. But I cannot see how the be- 

 lief that all organic beings, including man, have been geneti- 

 cally derived from some simple being, instead of having been 

 separately created, bears on your difficulties. These, as it 

 seems to me, can be answered only by widely different evi- 

 dence from science, or by the so-called " inner consciousness." 

 My opinion is not worth more than that of any other man 

 who has thought on such subjects, and it would be folly in 

 me to give it. I may, however, remark that it has always ap- 

 peared to me more satisfactory to look at the immense amount 

 of pain and suffering in this world as the inevitable result of 

 the natural sequence of events, i.e. general laws, rather than 

 from the direct intervention of God, though I am aware this 

 is not logical with reference to an omniscient Deity. Your 

 last question seems to resolve itself into the problem of free 

 will and necessity, which has been found by most persons 

 insoluble. I sincerely wish that this note had not been as 

 utterly valueless as it is. I would have sent full answers, 

 though I have little time or strength to spare, had it been in 

 my power. I have the honour to remain, dear Madam, 



Yours very faithfully, 

 Charles Darwin. 



