Scientific Sophisms. 275 



mysteries of Being. Propounded as a theory of 

 the Universe, it has no commencement and no 

 continuity. There are " First Beginnings " of 

 which it has no knowledge. There are Barriers 

 which it cannot pass, and chasms which it can- 

 not cross, and deeps which it cannot fathom, 

 and mysteries which it cannot even pretend to 

 explain. That extension which we call space ; 

 that duration which we call time ; that sub- 

 stance which we call matter ; whence came 

 they? "There shall be no Alps"? They 

 shall be explained away? Matter shall be 

 defined in terms of Mind ? Space and Time 

 shall be declared non-entities non-existent 

 outside the faculties of the Being percipient ? l 



But then whence came this Being ? and 

 whence came his faculty " percipient " ? Matter, 

 too, however defined, is possessed of certain 

 properties, and constituted in definite propor- 

 tions, and specified in distinct categories car- 

 bon, gold, iodine, etc., whence came all these ? 

 Then too, besides material properties, there are 

 material forces. Heat is a mode of motion ; 

 and motion is a result of force; and force 

 operates according to law. But who ordained 

 the Law ? and who upholds it ? Who estab- 

 lished " the sequence of events as observed by 

 1 See Appendix, Note G. 



