viii PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION 



that he has come to the same conclusion. In this work 

 the argument is carried through various sciences, and 

 applied to atoms, the Ether, Life, and perceiving natures. 



The main object aimed at is to show that all things 

 have their existence and form due to an Infinite and 

 Eternal Mind; and the argument is of force to this end, 

 whatever view may be taken of matter, even if it be 

 regarded as a system of phenomena. The phenomena are 

 undeniable facts of consciousness, and have all the char- 

 acteristics on which the conclusion depends. 



In composing these lectures, the writer felt that he was 

 face to face with an order exceedingly great and marvel- 

 lous. He was brought close to it ; he was inspired by it. 

 He laboured to show what he saw, to raise the thoughts 

 of his hearers to a sense of the glory of the operations of 

 mind on matter, and so impart weight to the argument. 

 In presence of the riches and splendour of the signs of 

 mind in the Universe, it is impossible to be cold, it is 

 impossible not to kindle ; and surely the force of the 

 reasoning derived from them is enormously increased, 

 when we endeavour by language and illustration to do 

 justice to them. 



