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I, (Tyndall) believe that I can " prolong my intellectual vision 

 backwards, into regions where the unscientific cannot follow," 

 (none but myself and those who think with me are scientific in 

 my opinion,) "and can discern in matter the promise and potency 

 of every form and quality of life." All who are opposed to me 

 I, (Huxley), pronounce, ex cathedra, to be "pigmies in intellect." 

 This is a very easy way of setting down opponents, and especially 

 becoming, I think in a " scientific man," who calls himself a 

 " Professor" of Science, when before the annual meeting of a 

 Scientific Society. (At Belfast, 1874.) 



As to " prolonging my vision" forward, there I am in the dark, 

 even on my own confession. I am compelled to acknowledge 

 that a time may be coming when even a "professor" of irreligion 

 and science, " falsely so called," may have to say to Religion, 

 " give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out" into " outer 

 darkness." 



I, (Tyndall) also believe that life is a "continuous adjustment 

 of internal relations to external relations," by which process some 

 "original tissue " " vaguely sensitive all over" has come by degrees 

 to be "differentiated" into man. " ( Sapiential)". I do not 

 believe with Darwin in a " Primordial form," the origin of all 

 living beings ; I cannot tell whence he proposes to derive it, but 

 neither can I tell you whence my original (very original!) 

 " tissue" came. (Doctors differ you see.) 



All this is Science ! Knowledge ! ! Philosophy ! ! ! very clear, as 

 well as very useful, and very profitable, is it not ? as clear as the 

 Chaldsean mud " ! 



It is really hard to say which of these " Philosophers" talks 

 and writes hi the most senseless manner. These are some of 

 their choicest sayings, " These be thy Gods, Israel," and 

 " miserable comforters are they all." 



I believe that "the difficulty of understanding the absence of 

 various piles of strata" which, on my theory, no doubt were 

 ^somewhere /" " is very great." '-The case at present must remain 

 inexplicable, and may be truly urged as a valid argument against 

 the views here entertained." Nevertheless, though I thus own 

 that the evidence of nature is against me and that I cannot get 



