Summary and Conchision. 301 



his best feelings and truest thoughts : it is in conflict 

 with himself. He knows it to be more in accord with 

 reason to lift up his eyes, and see around him traces of 

 intelligent purpose, and delight himself in the com- 

 munion of mind with mind. The new cosmic philo- 

 sophy is an imposing edifice, constructed with great 

 and painstaking labour ; but it has neither foundation 

 nor top-stone : it sets forth no discoverable origin ;. 

 nor is it directed to any conceivable end. Claiming 

 to be the crown of scientific knowledge, it is a poor 

 result of the intellectual industry of the ages. The 

 student of nature, eager to frame for himself some 

 intelligible conception of the world in which he lives, 

 will not accept it as a satisfactory response to his 

 questioning. The more keenly it is criticized the 

 more inadequate will it appear: its dominance is but a 

 passing fashion of opinion. Men whose best thoughts 

 wither at its touch will turn away and seek elsewhere 

 a home for the spirit; they will look for a temple of 

 truth established on a wider and surer basis ; they 

 will choose as their abode " a city which hath founda- 

 tions, whose builder and maker is God." 



