PREFACE. ix 



who may complain of misinterpretation, if the greater 

 part of Miss Taylor's article (with which I entirely 

 sympathise) is supposed to be applicable to my "in- 

 tolerance." Let us have full toleration, by all means, 

 upon all questions in which there is room for doubt, 

 or which cannot be distinctly proved to affect the 

 welfare of mankind. But when Miss Taylor has 

 shown what basis exists for criminal legislation, 

 except the clear right of mankind not to tolerate that 

 which is demonstrably contrary to the welfare of 

 society, I will admit that such demonstration ought 

 only to be believed in by the " curates and old women " 

 to whom she refers. Eecent events have not weakened 

 the conviction I expressed in a much-abused speech 

 at the London School Board, that Ultramontanism is 

 demonstrably the enemy of society ; and must be met 

 with resistance, merely passive if possible, but active 

 if necessary, by "the whole power of the State." 



Next in order, it seems proper that I should briefly 

 refer to my friend Mr. Mivart's onslaught upon my 

 criticism of Mr. Darwin's critics, himself among the 

 number, which will be found in this volume. In 

 " Evolution and its Consequences " L I am accused of 

 misrepresentation, misquotation, misunderstanding, and 

 numerous other negative and positive literary and 

 scientific sins ; and much subtle ingenuity is expended 

 by Mr. Mivart in attempting to extricate himself 

 from the position in which my exposition of the real 



1 Contemporary Review, January 1872. 



