216 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. VIII 



others without merit or demerit of their own ; and they 

 are tormented for their evil deeds as long as their 

 consciousness lasts. 



The theological doctrines to which you refer, there- 

 fore, are simply extensions of generalisations as well based 

 as any in physical science. Very likely they are ille- 

 gitimate extensions of these generalisations, but that does 

 not make them wrong in principle. 



And I should consider it waste of time to " protest " 

 against that which is. 



As regards No. 3 I find that as a matter of experience, 

 erroneous beliefs are punished, and right beliefs are 

 rewarded though very often the erroneous belief is based 

 upon a more conscientious study of the facts than the 

 right belief. I do not see why this should not be as true 

 of theological beliefs as any others. And as I said before, 

 I do not care to protest against that which is. 



Many thanks for your congratulations. My tour was 

 very pleasant and taught me a good deal. I am yours 

 very faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



P.S. You are at liberty to make what use you please 

 of this letter. 



4 MARLBOROUGH PLACE, 

 Nov. 19, 1876. 



MY DEAR DARWIN I confess I have less sympathy 

 with the half-and-half sentimental school which he repre- 

 sents than I have with thoroughgoing orthodoxy. 



If we are to assume that anybody has designedly set 

 this wonderful universe going, it is perfectly clear to me 

 that he is no more entirely benevolent and just in any 

 intelligible sense of the words, than that he is malevolent 

 and unjust. Infinite benevolence need not have invented 

 pain and sorrow at all infinite malevolence would very 

 easily have deprived us of the large measure of content 

 and happiness that falls to our lot. After all, Butler's 

 " Analogy " is unassailable, and there is nothing in 



