APHORISMS AND REFLECTIONS 149 



commonly stated in this way), to have any difficulties 

 about miracles. I have never had the least sympathy 

 with the a priori reasons against orthodoxy, and I 

 have by nature and disposition the greatest possible 

 antipathy to all the atheistic and infidel school. 



CCCXII 



This universe is, I conceive, like to a great game 

 being played out, and we poor mortals are allowed 

 to take a hand. By great good fortune the wiser 

 among us have made out some few of the rules of the 

 game, as at present played. We call them " Laws 

 of Nature," and honour them because we find that if 

 we obey them we win something for our pains. The 

 cards are our theories and hypotheses, the tricks our 

 experimental verifications. But what sane man 

 would endeavour to solve this problem : given the 

 rules of a game and the winnings, to find whether 

 the cards are made of pasteboard or gold-leaf ? Yet 

 the problem of the metaphysicians is to my mind no 

 saner. 



CCCXIII 



I have not the smallest sentimental sympathy with 

 the negro ; don't believe in him at all, in short. But 

 it is clear to me that slavery means, for the white 

 man, bad political economy ; bad social morality ; 

 bad internal political organisation, and a bad influence 

 upon free labour and freedom all over the world. 



CCCXIV 



At the present time the important question for 

 England is not the duration of her coal, but the due 

 comprehension of the truths of science, and the labours 

 of her scientific men. 



