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are based, but for some years past certain conclusions have 

 been unduly forced into notoriety by a few authorities who 

 do not allow that they can be called in question. The man 

 who dares to doubt, or ventures to ask for explanation, is 

 either " tolerated," or called *' weak " or " orthodox," or dis- 

 posed of in one of many other ways known to the " strong 

 brethren." A small but active band of strong brethren 

 entertain in these days a prava snperstitio, and flatter them- 

 selves that their tenets shall spread until at some time in the 

 distant future they shall have no small influence upon the 

 world about to be. If you express dissent from any doctrine 

 they teach, your remarks will be completely passed over, or 

 it will be publicly intimated that amongst a number of foolish 

 objections perhaps the most absurd are those emanating from 

 a person who has altogether misunderstood the question at 

 issue, and to whom, therefore, it is not necessary to reply, 

 &c., &c. If you urge that Mr. A also dissents, and that he 

 has spent the last thirty years in investigating the matter, 

 and is well known for the good work he has done, you will 

 be answered by a condescending smile, and with a shrug of 

 the shoulders — you will be asked who Mr. A may be, and in 

 what way it signifies supposing he does not believe what in a 

 material sense is infallibly true ? This is exactly what we 

 must expect. All workers and thinkers, except those who 

 are contented to run along the only popular groove, must 

 sufier rebufis at the instance of the strong brethren. There 

 is but one mode of escape, and that is to recant before it is 

 too late, to give an assent to their favourite dogma, and 

 speak publicly of their amazing strength. If you differ, you 

 must suffer. Nor will it make the slightest difference whether 

 you are student or teacher. Scientifically you may be on 

 precisely the same level, but no matter, that knot of persons 

 takes care that the public are repeatedly informed how very 

 strong they are ; and to give due force to their statements. 



