1 2 8 FICTIONS OF THE IMA GIN A TION. 



evidence has been found wanting, fact coining has been 

 resorted to, and in not a few instances during the last few 

 years has somehow escaped exposure, or has been very 

 tenderly dealt with, as if it were only peculiar interpre- 

 tation due to the way in which the supposed facts had been 

 regarded. In some instances even distinguished philosophers 

 appear to have been misled to such an extent concerning 

 the reception and interpretation of supposed facts as to lead 

 to the inference that they had declined to examine what 

 they desired to believe, and had even taken a somewhat 

 unfair advantage of mistakes committed by others. 



By the persuasiveness of their language, and by appa- 

 rent disinterestedness which philosophic writers often ex- 

 hibit in enquiring into the merits of doctrines which ought 

 not to be accepted, ardent converts to most absurd pro- 

 positions are not unfrequently gained. It is surprising 

 what extraordinary notions are sometimes put forward 

 in support of some purely fanciful speculative hypo- 

 thesis which it is desired should be received by the public 

 as if it were actually true. The harder the intellect, the 

 more ready it seems to be to accept in all seriousness the 

 fictions of the scientific imagination the more tenderly 

 receptive of a certain kind of obviously absurd propositions. 

 A man may be very strong in the expressions of contempt 

 he employs in speaking of those who consider the idea of a 

 supernatural plausible, and he may treat with scorn the notion 

 of the existence of immaterial agents, and nevertheless 

 receive with the simple, unhesitating faith of a child some 

 nonsense about physiology which has been dressed up in a 

 scientific garb by some ingenious speculator, who perhaps 

 never dreamt that any would even suppose that his fantasies 



