RESEARCH DEFENDED, 23 



plan or of design, in the history of Creation, 

 are the mere product of special " infirmities " 

 of the human intellect. In opposition to 

 these attempts — come from what quarter they 

 may — to limit arbitrarily the boundaries of 

 knowledge, let us maintain the principle that 

 we never can certainly know what is 

 "inaccessible to reason" until the way of 

 access has been tried. In the highest 

 interests of truth, we must resist any and 

 every interdict against research. The strong 

 presumption is that every philosophy which 

 assumes to issue such an interdict, must have 

 reason to fear inquiry. 



On these principles it may be affirmed 

 generally that all subjects are legitimate sub- 

 jects of reasoning in proportion as they are 



