UNRESTRICTED AND FREE. 335 



suits which harmonise with the teachings of revealed religion 

 and which might prove useful to teachers who desired to 

 strengthen the convictions of the faithful. This opinion re- 

 ceives support from the facts of history as well as from cir- 

 cumstances known in connection with the exercise of au- 

 thority on the part of the representatives of certain religious 

 bodies in these days. 



Those who have started upon the scientific pilgrimage and 

 have made up their minds to encounter the well known hard- 

 ships and disappointments, and have determined to bear the 

 poverty of their life-long journey have not received the bless- 

 ings of any church to encourage their hopes or to lighten 

 their burthens. No miracles have been performed for them. 

 No shrine has been pointed out where they may place their 

 offerings, and then return home to rest in peace. They must 

 work on as long as power remains to them to work, and 

 patiently endure to the end. No church is interested in their 

 trials or takes any account of their virtues. And this must 

 be, since science can never bow to authority, submit to the 

 arbitrary dictates of any earthly power, or consent to be 

 governed in her progress by any time-honoured rules. 

 Science asks only to be permitted to work on. She longs 

 neither for honours, nor wages, nor power, and looks only 

 for " the glory of going on and still to be." 



I also venture to doubt whether any one imbued with 

 the scientific spirit ought to submit to be guided in his 

 researches or allow his mind to be in any way influenced 

 by the idea of final causes or design. For surely in that 

 case the scientific observer would be reduced to the con- 

 dition of a mere searcher for new facts to illustrate already 

 acknowledged truths ; and he would be altogether subordi- 



