CHAPTER V. 



ON IMMORTALITY. 



1. AND now, what is the scientific doctrine on the 

 great theme of immortality ? Is there any hope for 

 men ? In one word, no. For any such hope, 'if men 

 must continue to indulge in it after hearing the scientific 

 arguments, they must go elsewhere to the theologian, 

 the metaphysician, the mystic, the poet. These men, 

 habitually dwelling in their several spheres of illusion 

 and unreality, may find suggestions of the phantasy 

 which they persuade themselves are arguments in favour 

 of a future life ; the man of science, for his part, and the 

 positive thinker, building on science who keep within 

 the solid land of inductive truth and positive knowledge, 

 where proof is possible, and where short of absolute 

 proof, analogy should guide the judgment consider no 

 proposition more certain than that the soul is mortal as 

 well as the body which supported it, and of which it was 

 merely the final flower and product. 



Our modern naturalist, following Darwin, has satis- 

 fied himself that man is only the superior animal derived 

 from the inferior ; why should he not die as the others ? 

 Our modern physiologist has ascertained that thought is 

 but a function of the brain and nerves ; why should it 

 not perish with these? Our most advanced physicists 



