56 RELIGION. [Ch. IIL 



I have never written a word, which at the time I did not 

 think; but I think you will agree with me, that anything 

 which is to be given to the public ought to be maturely 

 weighed and cautiously put. It never occurred to me that 

 you would wish to print any extract from my notes : if it had, 

 I would have kept a copy. I put ' private ' from habit, only 

 as yet partially acquired, from some hasty notes of mine having 

 been printed, which were not in the least degree worth printing, 

 though otherwise unobjectionable. It is simply ridiculous to 

 suppose that my former note to you would be worth sending 

 to me, with any part marked which you desire to print ; but if 

 you like to do so, I will at once say whether I should have 

 any objection. I feel in some degree unwilling to express 

 myself publicly on religious subjects, as I do not feel that I 

 have thought deeply enough to justify any publicity." 



What follows is from another letter to Dr. Abbott (No- 

 vember 16, 1871), in which my father gives more fully his 

 reasons for not feeling competent to write on religious and 

 moral subjects : — 



" I can say with entire truth that I feel honoured by your 

 request that I should become a contributor to the Index, and 

 am much obliged for the draft. I fully, also, subscribe to the 

 proposition that it is the duty of every one to spread what he 

 believes to be the truth ; and I honour you for doing so, with 

 so much devotion and zeal. But I cannot comply with your 

 request for the following reasons ; and excuse me for giving 

 them in some detail, as I should be very sorry to appear in 

 your eyes ungracious. My health is very weak : I never pass 

 24 hours without many hours of discomfort, when I can do 

 nothing whatever. I have thus, also, lost two whole consecutive 

 months this season. Owing to this weakness, and my head 

 being often giddy, I am unable to master new subjects re- 

 quiring much thought, and can deal only with old materials. 

 At no time am I a quick thinker or writer : whatever I have 

 done in science has solely been by long pondering, patience 

 and industry. 



" Now I have never systematically thought much on religion 

 in relation to science, or on morals in relation to society ; and 

 without steadily keeping my mind on such subjects for a long 

 period, I am really incapable of writing anything worth sending 

 to the Index." 



He was more than once asked to give his views on religion, 

 and he had, as a rule, no objection to doing so in a private 

 letter. Thus, in answer to a Dutch student, he wrote (April 2, 

 1873):— 



