LTNXEAX SOCIETY OF LOXDOX, 35 



fill- tlierefore tlie evidence is iiicondusive, and I am very glad to hear you are 

 in coinimiuication with Eense's daughters. If his iedge'rs or business accounts 

 are in their possession, tliej uught to settle tlie matter* ; but it will be some- 

 thing, wilh regard to the cf)ntract, to get specimens of his signature and 

 handwriting t. I am inclined to tliink that the 18 May entry and the contract 

 were written by the same person, so far as I can remeniber the latter. 



7. Manuscript exhibiting Appearance of Artificial Treatment 

 tuith a Broivn Stain. 



Mr. J. F. Sleeper kindly sent to me, Aug. 10, 1913, a number 

 of short manii>cript.s, piobably tbe original rou<;;b drafts ot' a series 

 ol: articles for the press entitled " Thoughts of an Atheist." 

 Some of the pages were written on the backs of sheets dated 1851 

 and 1852, and accompanying them was a manuscript letter, 

 protesting auainst slavery, signed "A Southerner," and dated 

 Aug. 14, 1852. This, like the " Thoughts," was evidently 

 intended for the press, and probably published. There seems 

 little doubt that all were written within a few years of 1849, yet 

 the contrast between them and the pamphlet is immense. Ihe 

 ••Thoughts," which convey no vsuggestiou of originality or power, 

 include discourses on the following subjects: — \^No. 7) On laws 

 and their enforcement and on the atheist being compelled to give 

 evidence on oath — although meaningless to him ; (No. 8) On the 

 atheist being as good as any other man ; (No. 12) On the brain 

 of animals and man, and on mind as the product of brain and 

 therefore of matter ; (No. 13) On animal sagacity and instinct ; 

 an unnumbered paper on the inconsistencies of the attributes of 

 the Deity. 



No. 9 was of interest in a very different way ; for it had obviously 

 been treated with a brown stain, apparently laid on by a brush or 

 rubbed on by a broad surface, perhaps the end of a finger or a 

 painter's stump. 



Mr. J. F. Sleeper suggests that a fluid may have been spilt over 

 the manuscript, or mildew formed in the creases, and that after 

 some chemical had been then brushed over the surface in order to 

 remove the effect, the iron in the ink had in time caused the stain. 

 He has not seen such an appearance on any of the other papers. 



This curious-looking document was submitted to Sir George 

 Warner, who wrote Aug. 28, 1913: — "No. 9 has a very queer 

 appearance. Is the stain tobacco-juice or what? It is obviously 

 artificial and intentional, and not the natural discoloration of 

 time like that on No. 8 ; but this again, 1 think, is not the same 

 as that which is on the contract.'' 



8. The Paper of the Booldet dated 1 849. 



The present section does not contribute evidence for or against 

 the authenticity of the work ; but it is desirable to render the 



* See p. 31. t See p. -52. 



d2 



