1895 THE 'FOUNDATIONS OF BELIEF' 353 



Ward gives an account of a conversation with him on 

 this subject : — 



Some one had sent me Mr. A. J. Balfour's book on the 

 Foundations of Belief eavly in Februaiy 1895. We were 

 very full of it, and it was the theme of discussion on the 

 17th of February, when two friends were lunching with 

 us. Not long after luncheon, Huxley came in, and seemed 

 in extraordinary spirits. He began talking of Erasmus 

 and Luther, expressing a great preference for Erasmus, 

 who would, he said, have impregnated the Church with 

 culture, and brought it abreast of the thought of the times, 

 while Luther concentrated attention on individual mystical 

 doctrines. " It was very trying for Erasmus to be identi- 

 fied with Luther, from whom he differed absolutely. A 

 man ought to be ready to endure persecution for what he 

 does hold ; but it is hard to be persecuted for what you 

 don't hold." I said that I thought his estimate of 

 Erasmus's attitude towards the Papacy coincided with 

 Professor R. C. Jebb's. He asked if I could lend him 

 Jebb's Rede Lecture en the subject. I said that I had 

 not got it at hand, but I added, " I can lend you another 

 book, which I think you ought to read — Balfour's Founda- 

 tions of Belief." 



He at once became extremely animated, and spoke of 

 it as those who have read his criticisms, published in the 

 following month, would expect. " You need not lend me 

 that. I have exercised my mind with it a good deal 

 already. Mr. Balibur ought to have acquainted himself 

 with the opinions of those he attacks. One has no 

 objection to being abused for what one does hold, as I 

 said of Erasmus ; at least, one is prepared to put up with 

 it. An attack on us by some one who understood our 

 position would do all of us good — myself included. But 

 Mr. Balfour has acted like the French in 1870 : he has 

 gone to war without any ordnance maps, and without 

 having surveyed the scene of the campaign. No human 



VOL. Ill 2 A 



