MR. GLADSTONE AND GENESIS. 789 



when I make free confession that, after turning the matter over in my 

 mind with all the aid derived from a careful consideration of Mr. 

 Gladstone's reply, I can not get away from my original conviction that, 

 if Mr. Gladstone's second proposition can be shown to be not merely 

 inaccurate, but directly contradictory of facts known to every one who 

 is acquainted with the elements of natural science, the third proposi- 

 tion collapses of itself. 



And it was this conviction which led me to enter upon the present 

 discussion. I fancied that if my respected clients, the people of 

 average opinion and capacity, could once be got distinctly to conceive 

 that Mr. Gladstone's views as to the proper method of dealing with 

 grave and difficult scientific and religious problems had permitted him 

 to base a solemn " plea for a revelation of truth from God " upon an 

 error as to a matter of fact, from which the intelligent perusal of a 

 manual of paleontology would have saved him, I need not trouble my- 

 self to occupy their time and attention with further comments upon 

 his contribution to apologetic literature. It is for others to judge 

 whether I have efficiently carried out my project or not. It certainly 

 does not count for much that I should be unable to find any flaw in 

 my own case, but I think it counts for a good deal that Mr. Gladstone 

 appears to have been equally unable to do so. He does, indeed, make 

 a great parade of authorities, and I have the greatest respect for those 

 authorities whom Mr. Gladstone mentions. If he will get them to 

 sign a joint memorial to the effect that our present paleontological 

 evidence proves that birds appeared before the " land-population " of 

 terrestrial reptiles, I shall think it my duty to reconsider my position 

 — but not till then. 



It v/ill be observed that I have cautiously used the word "ap- 

 pears " in referring to what seems to me to be absence of any real 

 answer to my criticisms in Mr. Gladstone's reply. For I must hon- 

 estly confess that, notwithstanding long and painful strivings after 

 clear insight, I am still uncertain whether Mr. Gladstone's " Defense " 

 means that the great "plea for a revelation from God" is to be left 

 to perish in the dialectic desert, or whether it is to be withdrawn 

 under the protection of such skirmishers as are available for covering 

 retreat. 



In particular the remarkable disquisition which covers pages 624— 

 627 of Mr. Gladstone's last contribution has greatly exercised my mind. 

 Socrates is reported to have said of the works of Heraclitus that he 

 who attempted to comprehend them should be a " Delian swimmer," 

 but that, for his part, what he could understand was so good that he 

 was disposed to believe in the excellence of that which he found unin- 

 telligible. In endeavoring to make myself master of Mr. Gladstone's 

 meaning in these pages, I have often been overcome by a feeling 

 analogous to that of Socrates, but not quite the same. That which I 

 do understand, in fact, has appeared to me so very much the reverse 



