206 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



science, and making an unjustifiable raid into the do- 

 main of theology. This I fail to see. Laying aside 

 abuse, I hope my accusers will consent to reason with 

 inc. Is it not lawful for a scientific man to speculate 

 on the antecedents of the solar system? Did Kant, 

 Laplace, and William Herschel quit their legitimate 

 spheres, when they prolonged the intellectual vision 

 beyond the boundary of experience, and propounded 

 the nebular theory? Accepting that theory as prob- 

 able, is it not permitted to a scientific man to follow up, 

 in idea, the series of changes associated with the con- 

 densation of the nebulae; to picture the successive de- 

 tachment of planets and moons, and the relation of all 

 of them to the sun? If I look upon our earth, with its 

 orbital revolution and axial rotation, as one small issue 

 of the process which made the solar system what it is, 

 will any theologian deny my right to entertain and 

 express this theologic view? Time was when a multi- 

 tude of theologians would have been found to do so 

 when that arch-enemy of science which now vaunts its 

 tolerance would have made a speedy end of the man 

 who might venture to publish any opinion of the kind. 

 But, that time, unless the world is caught strangely 

 slumbering, is for ever past. 



As regards inorganic nature, then, we may traverse, 

 without let or hindrance, the whole distance which 

 separates the nebulae from the worlds of to-day. But 

 only a few years ago this now conceded ground of 

 science was theological ground. I could by no means 

 regard this as the final and sufficient concession of 

 theology; and, at Belfast, I thought it not only my 

 right but my duty to state that, as regards the organic 

 world, we must enjoy the freedom which we have 

 already won in regard to the inorganic. I could not 

 discern the shred of a title-deed which gave any man 



