78 Life and Matter [chap. v. 



paragraph, inasmuch as he conducts a sort of 

 free and easy attack on religion, especially 

 on what he conceives to be the fundamental 

 doctrines of Christianity. But, after all, it can 

 be perceived that his attack, so far as it is 

 really an attack on religion, is evidently 

 inspired by his mistrust and dislike, and to 

 some extent fear, of Ecclesiasticism, especially 

 of the Ultramontane movement in Germany, 

 against which he says Prince Bismarck began 

 a struggle in 1872. It is this kind of semi- 

 political religion that he is really attacking, 

 more than the pure essence of Christianity 

 itself. He regards it as a bigoted system 

 hostile to knowledge which, if true, would 

 amply justify an attack and he says on 

 page 1 1 8 : 



"The great struggle between modern science 

 and orthodox Christianity has become more 

 threatening ; it has grown more dangerous for 

 science in proportion as Christianity has found 

 support in an increasing mental and political 

 reaction." 



This may seem an exaggerated fear ; but 



