ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE LOGIC OF SCIENCE. 7 



to have that completely satisfactory result called demonstration, has 

 only to start with propositions perfectly free from all actual doubt. 

 If the premises are not in fact doubted at all, they cannot be more 

 satisfactory than they are. 



3. Some people seem to love to argue a point after all the world is 

 fully convinced of it. But no further advance can be made. When 

 doubt ceases, mental action on the subject comes to an end ; and, if it 

 did go on, it would be without a purpose. 



V. 



If the settlement of opinion is the sole object of inquiry, and if 

 belief is of the nature of a habit, why should we not attain the desired 

 end, by taking any answer to a question which we may fancy, and 

 constantly reiterating it to ourselves, dwelling on all which may con- 

 duce to that belief, and learning to turn with contempt and hatred 

 from anything which might disturb it ? This simple and direct 

 method is really pursued by many men. I remember once being en- 

 treated not to read a certain newspaper lest it might change my 

 opinion upon free-trade. "Lest I might be entrapped by its fallacies 

 and misstatements," was the form of expression. " You are not," my 

 friend said, " a special student of political economy. You might, 

 therefore, easily be deceived by fallacious arguments upon the subject. 

 You might, then, if you read this paper, be led to believe in protec- 

 tion. But you admit that free-trade is the true doctrine ; and you do 

 not wish to believe what is not true." I have often known this sys- 

 tem to be deliberately adopted. Still oftener, the instinctive dislike 

 of an undecided state of mind, exaggerated into a vague dread of 

 doubt, makes men cling spasmodically to the views they already take. 

 The man feels that, if he only holds to his belief without wavering, it 

 will be entirely satisfactory. Nor can it be denied that a steady and 

 immovable faith yields great peace of mind. It may, indeed, give rise 

 to inconveniences, as if a man should resolutely continue to believe 

 that fire would not burn him, or that he would be eternally damned 

 if he received his ingesta otherwise than through a stomach-pump. 

 But then the man who adopts this method will not allow that its in- 

 conveniences are greater than its advantages. He will say, " I hold 

 steadfastly to the truth, and the truth is always wholesome." And in 

 many cases it may very well be that the pleasure he derives from his 

 calm faith overbalances any inconveniences resulting from its decep- 

 tive character. Thus, if it be true that death is annihilation, then the 

 man who believes that he will certainly go straight to heaven when 

 he dies, provided he have fulfilled certain simple observances in this 

 life, has a cheap pleasure which will not be followed by the least dis- 

 appointment. A similar consideration seems to have weight with 

 many persons in religious topics, for we frequently hear it said, " Oh, 



