Scientific Sophisms. 249 



stituted the mutual attractions and repulsions 

 which determine the position of the minute 

 blocks employed in the construction of a crystal, 

 we have dealt with only one element of the 

 problem. That slave-labour was employed not 

 otherwise than as the consequent of antecedent 

 design. The huge blocks of granite or of 

 limestone were not deposited in their relative 

 positions except as those positions had been 

 antecedently determined "by some invisible 

 master ; " the architect who planned ; the 

 monarch who ordained and controlled. And 

 when we have said that the infinitesimally 

 minute molecular blocks in a crystal of salt 

 or of sugar are "self-posited," we have indeed 

 dispensed with the necessity of external physical 

 force necessary to simple super-position ; but 

 we have made no advance whatever towards a 

 substitute for that Intellectual Force which is 

 (at least) equally necessary in order to sym- 

 metrical super-position. We have dispensed 

 with "the intervention of slave- labour." We 

 have not dispensed with the intervention of the 

 Will by which that labour was employed, or 

 the Intelligence by which it was directed, or the 

 Power by which it was controlled. We have 

 dismissed the slaves only. The "Invisible 

 Master " still remains behind. 



