66 Remarks on the Theories of PT. n. 



the utmost stretch of our faculties can only enable 

 us to reach so far. It is only by looking into our- 

 selves, limited and finite as the prospect must be, 

 that we can find any material wherewith to enable 

 us to realise, even in the faintest degree, the idea of 

 the Deity. This is exemplified in the fact that when 

 we describe the action of the Deity, we can only do 

 so by availing ourselves of terms borrowed from our 

 own senses or faculties. We speak of the all-seeing 

 eye of Providence, or we say that the ear of heaven 

 is ever open to the prayers of Man. We do not 

 ' mean by these expressions to convey a belief that 

 the Almighty really makes use of such organs ; we 

 cannot possibly conjecture what are His means of 

 communication with us ; we only use those words 

 which convey to our own minds the nearest approxi- 

 mation to the idea of His Omniscience. 



When, therefore, Mr. Darwin peremptorily rejects 

 in his scheme for the production of Life all agency 

 of a higher power, analogous however superior to 

 that of Man, he does, in fact, deny the agency of 

 God, for he denies it in the sole form in which Man 

 could be able to recognise it. Now how awful ! how 

 tremendous a doctrine is this ! The mind recoils from 

 the consequences which would result from its adoption. 



