Scientific Sophisms. 153 



where, referring to the burning of coal, it is 

 said : 



" ' Heat comes out of it, light comes out of it, and if 

 we could gather together all that goes up the chimney, 

 and all that remains in the grate of a thoroughly-burnt 

 coal-fire, we should find ourselves in possession of a 

 quantity of carbonic acid, water, ammonia, and mineral 

 matters, exactly equal in weight to the coal ! ' 



" It requires but the most elementary ac- 

 quaintance with the subject to recognise that 

 the 'quantity' of these products would be at 

 least twice, probably thrice, as great as the 

 original weight of the coal. A due considera- 

 tion and comparison of these facts will enable 

 the reader to estimate at its true value the 

 science from which such stupendous consequences 

 are so confidently deduced." 1 



19. " How such doctrines came to be received 

 can only be accounted for in Professor Huxley's 

 own words when treating on some other an- 

 tagonistic 'teaching,' which he says was only 

 ' tolerable on account of the ignorance of those 

 by whom it was accepted.' Referring to some 

 anatomical question, he says further that ' it 

 would, in fact, be unworthy of serious refutation, 



1 Dr. Elam : "Automatism and Evolution;" Contempo- 

 rary Review , October, 1876, pp. 729, 730. 



