AND THEORY OF THE HEAVENS. 19 



truth is so potent in me that I would hold everything 

 that contradicted it as sufficiently refuted by that truth, 

 and would reject it. But the very harmony and agree- 

 ment which I find between my system and religion, raises 

 my confidence in the face of all difficulties to an undis- 

 turbed tranquillity. 



I recognize the great value of those proofs which are 

 drawn from the beauty and perfect arrangement of the 

 universe to establish the existence of a Supremely Wise 

 Creator ; and I hold that whoever does not obstinately 

 resist all conviction must be won by those irrefutable 

 reasons. But I assert that the defenders of religion, by 

 using these proofs in a bad way, perpetuate the conflict 

 with the advocates of Naturalism by presenting them 

 unnecessarily with a weak side of their position. 



It is usual to signalize and emphasize in nature the 

 harmonies, the beauty, the ends of things, and the perfect 

 relation of means adapted to them. But while nature 

 is thus elevated on this side, the attempt is made on 

 another to belittle it again. This admirable adaptation, it 

 is said, is foreign to nature; abandoned to its own 

 general laws it would bring forth nothing but disorder. 

 These harmonies show an alien hand which has known 

 how to subdue to a wise plan a matter that is wanting 

 in all order or regularity. But I answer, that if the 

 universal laws of the action of matter are themselves a 

 consequence of the supreme plan of the system, they 

 cannot be supposed to have any other destination than 

 just to serve to fulfil the very plan which the Supreme 

 Wisdom has set before itself. And if this is not so, 

 would we not be tempted to believe that matter and its 

 general laws at least are independent, and that the 



