156 Instinct. 



readily believe that type might be so thrown by 

 accident as to form a word, we could not on that 

 account believe that a single page could be printed 

 in that way, making an intelligent story, even if the 

 experiment could be tried every day for a geolog- 

 ic age. If it is said we ought to believe in such 

 results, from the elements of variation and indefi- 

 nite time, we cannot help it. We are satisfied that 

 with the same data to rely upon, all men will not 

 reach the same conclusions. It is possible that this 

 may be partly the result of training, and it may 

 arise from a constitutional difference among men 

 in weighing proof. Probably we shall have to wait 

 a long time for Natural Selection to give us a race 

 of men, who shall have powers of observation and 

 reasoning so nearly alike, that they shall all reach 

 the same results on such subjects. In the mean 

 time, it becomes every one, who treats of such sub- 

 jects at all, to make sure of his facts, to meekly fol- 

 low any theory sustained by the facts, and resolute- 

 ly oppose any, that seems to him inconsistent with 

 them. 



