12 SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT 



go on it apparently must, " at some time or 

 another the world must explode, when the in- 

 creasing temperature and pressure within over- 

 powers the strength of the crust. According to 

 the same authority, there is no assurance that such 

 a consummation does not await the future, nor 

 evidence that such has not more than once been 

 an event of the past."* As this termination is not 

 expected for something like one hundred million 

 years, we need have no personal alarm, nor need 

 we tremble on this account for the future of our 

 children. I mention the matter to show the far- 

 reaching consequence of a really first-rate dis- 

 covery or theory. 



Such was Darwin's theory, and it is not to be 

 wondered at that the Argument from Design re- 

 quired reconsideration and reconstruction in view 

 of his teachings. What the result was will shortly 

 be considered. Meantime it will be sufficient to 

 note one result of the appearance of the book, 

 and more especially of the unfortunate manner 

 in which it was met by those who would have been 

 well-advised to have exercised more caution and 

 discretion in their attitude towards it. This serious 

 result was the loss of faith in revelation on the part 

 of a large number of perfectly honest and even 

 reluctant persons. Perfectly honest : no one can 

 doubt that who reads the remarkable letter which 

 Huxley, after the death of his son, wrote to Kings- 

 ley, in which he says that whatever the conse- 

 quences, he will not try to make himself believe 

 that which in his heart he feels to be a lie. Reluctant 



* Soddy, Matter and Energy i Home University Library, p. 237. 



