348 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XVII 



perfect cheerfulness, and the more because my small 

 intelligence does not see how any other arrangement could 

 possibly be got to work as the world is constituted. 



But this is what the Christian world calls atheism, 

 and because all my toil and pains does not enable me to 

 see my way to any other conclusion than this, a Christian 

 judge would (if he knew it) refuse to take my evidence 

 in a court of justice against that of a Christian ticket-of- 

 leave man. 



So with regard to the other great Christian dogmas, 

 the immortality of the soul, and the future state of 

 rewards and punishments, what possible objection a priori 

 can I who am compelled perforce to believe in the 

 immortality of what we call Matter and Force and in a 

 very unmistakable present state of rewards and punish- 

 ments for all our deeds have to these doctrines ? Give me 

 a scintilla of evidence, and I am ready to jump at them. 



But read Butler, and see to what drivel even his great 

 mind descends when he has to talk about the immortality 

 of the soul ! I have never seen an argument on that 

 subject which from a scientific point of view is worth the 

 paper it is written upon. All resolve themselves into 

 this formula : The doctrine of the immortality of the 

 soul is very pleasant and very useful, therefore it is true. 



All the grand language about " human aspiration," 

 "consistency with the divine justice," etc. etc., collapses 

 into this at last Better the misery of the " Vale ! in 

 seternurn vale ! " ten times over than the opium of such 

 empty sophisms I have drunk of that cup to the bottom. 



I am called away and must close my letter. Don't 

 trouble to answer it unless you are so minded. Ever 

 yours faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



JERMYN STREET, May 22, 1863. 



MY DEAR KINGSLEY Pray excuse my delay in reply- 

 ing to your letter. I have been very much pressed for 

 time for these two or three days. 



