V MR. GLADSTONE AND GENESIS 167 



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 palaeontological evidence 

 proves that birds appeared before the " land-popu- 

 lation " of terrestrial reptiles, I shall think it my 

 duty to reconsider my position but not till then. 



It will be observed that I have cautiously used 

 the word " appears " 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 

 honestly confess that, notwithstanding long and 

 painful strivings after clear insight, I am still 

 uncertain whether Mr. Gladstone's " Defence " 

 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 or whether it is to be withdrawn under the 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 11 to 14 of Mr. Gladstone's last 

 contribution has greatly exercised my mind. 



