MAKES OF MIND IN NATURE. 313 



Tlie foregoing quotations are fitted to suggest that the 

 widely different inferences drawn from the same, or corre- 

 sponding, data are likely to be accounted for by the differences 

 of the point of view, if not the method, of tlieir authors. 

 That their starting points could not be the same seems clear. 

 Was the object of one class of writers to find in the facts 

 and phenomena of nature support for preconceived opinions, 

 and the object of another class to understand the phenomena 

 irrespective altogether of current notions regarding them? 

 Then there are schools of scientific thought — often very 

 ill-informed groups whose chief delight is to charge all 

 who diflfer from them, as being narrow-minded, the victims 

 of prejudice, and all manner of bias ; altogetlier forgetful 

 that it is not only possible, in this description of others, they 

 may be speaking of themselves; but it also shows that 

 bigotry in the departments of science may be more bitter even 

 than Avhat it is believed to be in " religious coteries." Does 

 not something very like ignorance lie at the root of these 

 expressions of feeling ? The mere specialist sees no value in 

 any aspect of thought which cannot find a place in, or con- 

 nected with, his own hobby. Great attainments do not 

 necessarily imply wide intelligence, and they may carry 

 with them strong and often narrow-minded prejudices. 

 Enlightemnent touching the objects disliked may be much 

 needed. Enlargement of acquaintance with intellectual en- 

 vironments often works wonders, not in science only, not in 

 philosophy only, and not in religion onl}", but in the relations of 

 each of these to the other two. The beneficial reflex influence 

 •of interactions among these cannot be questioned. To bring 

 this about many will think that there must be a common 

 starting point. To insist on this would be to miss the end in 

 view, TJie balls thrown earnestly by different hands would 

 meet, and then the rebound ! Looking at this from our present 

 point of view, let the common starting point be " God is," and 

 however small this may seem it is in a line at present, as we 

 ;shall see, of great significance. Indeed without this, argu- 

 ment would be impossible or, at least, hopelessly useless. 

 With this, mind-marks in nature w^ould have the highest 

 meaning. 



There are many able and intelligent men who do not 

 think Avell of science mainly because they are ignorant of the 

 phenomena with which it deals, and they treat its findings 

 very much in the same way as men ignorant of the Bible 

 treat its contents, whenever thev meet its demands to be 



