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or the system of Spinoza, or that of Fichte, Schelling, and 

 Hegel. Now, I do not conceive that such a task lies within 

 the scope of this paper, and I shall accordingly pass on to the 

 consideration of the facts in the Universe by which Pessimistic 

 theories appear to be supported. In discussing them, I shall 

 do so from a Theistic point of view, as I think it is a waste of 

 time to be combating Pantheistic fancies and paradoxes at 

 every turn. Assuming, therefore, the truth of Theism, we 

 will now proceed to see how far the existence of Evil in the 

 world may be reconciled with the Divine attributes. 



(III.) Problem of Evil. — 5. We admit at once that the 

 Problem of Evil is a great difficulty. In its essence it is 

 this : How could a God of infinite goodness allow Evil to 

 begin in any form in a universe which He Himself called 

 into being ? Various answers have been given to this ques- 

 tion, and probably always will be given. First, however, we 

 may address ourselves to the actual facts which form the 

 starting-point for discussion. We have seen above that 

 Leibnitz divided evils into three classes, — metaphysical, 

 physical, and moral. It is perhaps more usual now to consider 

 the two heads of physical and moral as exhaustive, and to 

 neglect his group of metaphysical evils. 



6. Let us begin then with physical, such, as earthquakes, 

 volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, inundations, drought, car- 

 nivorous animals, parasites both animal and vegetable, and 

 similar facts. Now, the first thing that strikes us in re- 

 flecting upon them is that they form a class which it is the 

 tendency of advancing knowledge to bring more and more 

 under the dominion of law, and so of benevolent and har- 

 monious order. We see at a glance, that this is true about 

 thunder and lightning. Primitive races of men still regard 

 these phenomena with unmixed terror, and not without reason. 

 We, on the contrary, have learned by slow degrees that these 

 terrible disturbances of the atmosphere are probably inevitable 

 incidents in the vast circulation of water and air which is in 

 incessant activity on the outside of our globe. To that circu- 

 lation we owe our very existence, as it provides us with the 

 indispensable fresh water by evaporation from the sea-surfaces 

 and subsequent distribution by winds. In this elaborate and 

 sensitive mechanism with its perpetual oscillations of baro- 

 metric pressure, of temperature, and of moisture, a mechanism, 

 the ultimate motive-power of which is the sun, storms and 

 tempests, tornadoes and hurricanes, the roll of thunder and 

 the flash of the lightning are moments of intense energy, 

 which are quite lost sight of when we consider the normal 

 smoothness and etiicieucy with which its vast operations are 



