TJie Right of Search. 3 1 



them must be determined, as it is now deter- 

 mined, by that paramount consideration, our 

 reverence for truth. 



The necessity of meeting this conviction is 

 not unfelt by those to whom it is opposed ; and 

 their perception of its force is shown by the 

 remarkable admission contained in their reply. 

 It is the ideal Lucretian himself who is the 

 speaker : 



! " It is not to the point to say that the views 

 of Lucretius and Bruno, of Darwin and Spencer 

 may be wrong. Here I should agree with you, 

 deeming it indeed certain that these views will 

 undergo modification. But .the point is, that 

 whether right or wrong, we ask the freedom to 

 discuss them." 1 "As regards these questions 

 science claims unrestricted right of search." 3 



Agreed. We desire nothing better. The 

 case must be argued before it is decided. And 

 it may not be prejudged. What is certain is, 

 "that the views of Lucretius and Bruno, of 

 Darwin and Spencer may be wrong " : " certain 

 that these views will undergo modification." 

 Certain therefore that "the world, even the 

 clerical world," in accepting these wrong views, 

 " has for the most part " gone wrong too, and, 



1 "The Belfast Address," ut sup.', p. 64. 

 1 Ibid., p. 63. 



