Mr. Justice Holmes 151 



gories. The motive force of evolution is beyond our ken. 



This view Mr. Holmes could not or would not under- 

 stand. He often spoke of the promise which science held 

 for the cosmos of the future. He was a sincere, confirmed, 

 and in some respects quite simple-minded atheist. He be- 

 lieved that the scientist, given time and painstaking re- 

 search, could reasonably be expected to solve all prob- 

 lems. He saw no reason to personify a mystery, and it 

 never would have occurred to him to pray to "Him to 

 whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from 

 whom no secrets are hid." I have heard him explain his 

 attitude, often in a very naive way, on many, many occa- 

 sions. I never felt like arguing the matter with him be- 

 cause I was usually too fascinated listening to what he 

 had to say. His sparkling choice of words, his superb voice, 

 and his personahty held one spellbound. 



I still beheve that had Justice Holmes known as much 

 about science as he knew about philosophy, ethics, logistics, 

 or history, he would have been forced to admit that there 

 are certain categories of facts for which science holds no 

 key. And this is where the deist, the humble soul who 

 makes no parade of his religious belief, feels positive that 

 he has something quite tangible, which the atheist has not. 



Justice Holmes was completely happy and satisfied but, 

 in regard to science, he was extraordinarily trusting and 

 uninformed. With all his learning, with all his vast and 

 mature scholarship which gave him that superb beauty of 

 utterance, of imagery, and of apt quotation which deco- 

 rated the ornate loveliness of his literary style, Mr. Holmes 

 still had his blind spot. 



« 



