44 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



water than in air; according to the Undulatory Theory, 

 it travelled faster in air than in water. An ex- 

 periment suggested by Arago, and executed by Fi- 

 zeau and Foucault, was conclusive against Newton's 

 theory. 



But while science cheerfully submits to this ordeal, 

 it seems impossible to devise a mode of verification of 

 their theories which does not rouse resentment in theo- 

 logical minds. Is it that, while the pleasure of the 

 scientific man culminates in the demonstrated har- 

 mony between theory and fact, the highest pleasure of 

 the religious man has been already tasted in the very 

 act of praying, prior to verification, any further effort 

 in this direction being a mere disturbance of his peace? 

 Or is it that we have before us a residue of that mysti- 

 cism of the middle ages, so admirably described by Whe- 

 well- that ' practice of referring things and events 

 not to clear and distinct notions, not to general rules 

 capable of direct verification, but to notions vague, 

 distant, and vast, which we cannot bring into contact 

 with facts; as when we connect natural events with 

 moral and historic causes.' ' Thus,' he continues, ( the 

 character of mysticism is that it refers particulars, not 

 to generalisations, homogeneous and immediate, but to 

 such as are heterogeneous and remote; to which we 

 must add, that the process of this reference is not a 

 calm act of the intellect, but is accompanied with a 

 glow of enthusiastic feeling.' 



Every feature here depicted, and some more ques- 

 tionable ones, have shown themselves of late; most 

 conspicuously, I regret to say, in the ' leaders ' of a 

 weekly journal of considerable influence, and one, 

 on many grounds, entitled to the respect of thoughtful 

 men. In the correspondence, however, published by 

 the same journal, are to be found two or three letters 



