CORRESPONDENCE, 1836-46. 143 



little trouble to verify both sides ; and as what is called Christi- 1836, 



anity by the Church of England has never failed to meet with 



its answer, even when it was declared felony to answer it (for 



such were the arguments used at one time), I have little doubt 



any person who shows a respectable knowledge of the history of 



the Church will meet with a speedy reply if he will venture into 



the field. 



Now with regard to these matters, you may surely, my 

 dearest mother, collect from what I have said, that there will be 

 little wisdom in attempting to revive this subject. Appeals to 

 my feelings, whether from the bitter stroke we have lately had, 

 or from your distress that I cannot believe as you believe, are 

 trying to wound the wrong parts. It is impossible you can be in 

 earnest when you think that I who have been for the full half of 

 my animal, and the whole of intellectual life, accustomed to con- 

 sider doubtful things by help of reason alone, should be moved 

 to any opinion because any person alive believes it so strongly 

 that he or she is grieved that I do not believe it also. Such 

 appeals might be made to induce a person to examine that 

 opinion, but I have examined it, and I conscientiously believe 

 more than most of the clergy on whom you pin your faith. 

 Still more weak are your implied assertions that my late illness, 

 &c., are chastisements from God. How could you know this if 

 it were true ? or how can a very slight consequence of that want 

 of tendency to inflammation which it has pleased God should 

 preserve me from colds, fevers, cholera, &c., and which forms a 

 constituent part of my power to sit at work many hours without 

 headache or pain, be considered as a chastisement ? Believe me, 

 I see nothing in it but a very slight and easy composition for 

 the want of liability to many worse things. In the name of 

 common sense let the Almighty manage His own world. The 

 presumption with which modern Christians explain all that 

 happens, and point out the intention with which it all came, is 

 one of the strong marks by which the perversion of the system 

 may be known. If the tower of Siloam were to fall precisely 

 upon one hundred people, all Calvinists, it would never enter my 

 head to suppose that they were thereby declared to be objects of 

 God's particular displeasure. As long as my reason lasts I ishall 

 never want a better argument than that. 



I have looked over dear Eliza's papers with the interest with 

 which everything that concerns her affects me at this moment. 

 They relate to points which have now been in discussion fifteen 



