144 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



ciety of France.* I know that it may seem presumptuous 

 for an obscure individual to assail men in such high places. 

 But, in relation to those who seem to me to assail Chris- 

 tianity my motto has always been, " Tros Tyrinsque, mihi 

 nullo discrimine agetur." 



TO DR. EDWARD HITCHCOCK. 



NEW HAVEN, March 17, 1837. 



IN all your principles of action avowed in your 



letter I entirely agree ; and Drs. Cooper and Bone richly 

 deserved the protest you entered against them. I thought, 

 however, that the evidence ought to be much stronger to 

 justify placing Mr. Lyell in the same company, and partic- 

 ularly with the aspect given to his character and mind. I 

 have not yet examined his last edition, and cannot say 

 whether your impressions would be strengthened or not 

 by the perusal. 



I also have the happiness to reckon some of my best 

 friends among the clergy, and I believe, with you, if they 

 were masters of our subject, they would think as we do. 

 Some of them are candid and forbearing ; others find no 

 insuperable difficulties ; others are silent because they feel 

 that they do not understand the matter ; but a few are 

 loud, confident, and uncharitable, while it is obvious that 

 they know not whereof they affirm. I think you have si- 

 lenced one of this class, at least you and my colleague, 

 Professor Kingsley ; but I see strong marks of a settled 

 purpose on the part of some to hold no terms with geology, 

 and to insist upon the literal and limited understanding of 

 the history ; but they will find themselves deserted, for the 

 matter will in time come right. 



FROM MR. EDWARD HITCHCOCK. 



AMHERST, April 11, 1837. 

 HAVE you read Dr. Wiseman's work, just ptib- 



* Dr. Hitchcock's unfavorable impressions in respect to Mr. Lyell's re- 

 ligious opinions were modified or removed, as appears from a subsequent 

 letter. F. 



