246 AGNOSTICISM Vil 



to give a reason for the faith that is in him ; it is 

 the great principle of Descartes ; it is the funda- 

 mental axiom of modern science. Positively the 

 principle may be expressed : In matters of the 

 intellect, follow your reason as far as it will take 

 you, without regard to any other consideration. 

 And negatively : In matters of the intellect do 

 not pretend that conclusions are certain which are 

 not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take 

 to be the agnostic faith, which if a man keep 

 whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to 

 ' look the universe in the face, whatever the future 

 may have in store for him. 



The results of the working out of the agnostic 

 principle will vary according to individual know- 

 ledge and capacity, and according to the general 

 condition of science. That which is unproven to- 

 day may be proven by the help of new discoveries 

 to morrow. The only negative fixed points will 

 be those negations which flow from the demon- 

 strable limitation of our faculties. And the only 

 obligation accepted is to have the mind always 

 open to conviction. Agnostics who never fail in 

 carrying out their principles are, I am afraid, as 

 rare as other people of whom the same consistency 

 can be truthfully predicated. But, if you were to 

 moet with such a phoenix and to tell him that you 

 had discovered that two and two make five, he 

 would patiently ask you to state your reasons for 

 that conviction, and express his readiness to 



