1S76 THE HALF-AND-HALF SCHOOL 505 



As regards No. 3 I find that as a matter of experience, 

 erroneous beliefs are punislied, and right beliefs are rewarded 

 — though very often the erroneous belief is based upon a more 

 conscientious study of the facts than the right belief. I do not 

 see why this should not be as true of theological beliefs as any 

 others. And as I said before, I do not care to protest against 

 that which is. 



Many thanks for your congratulations. My tour was very 

 pleasant and taught me a good deal. — I am yours very faithfully, 



T. H. HuxLEV. 



P.S. — You are at liberty to make what use you please of 

 this letter. 



4 Marlborough Place, A'ov. 19, 1876. 



My dear Darwin — I confess I have less sympathy with the 

 half-and-half sentimental school which he represents than I 

 have with thoroughgoing orthodoxy. 



If we are to assume that anybody has designedly set this 

 wonderful universe going, it is perfectly clear to me that he is 

 no more entirely benevolent and just in any intelligible sense 

 of the words, than that he is malevolent and unjust. Infinite 

 benevolence need not have invented pain and sorrow at all — 

 infinite malevolence would very easily have deprived us of the 

 large measure of content and happiness that falls to our lot. 

 After all, Butler's " Analogy " is unassailable, and there is 

 nothing in theological dogmas more contradictory to our moral 

 sense, than is to be found in the facts of nature. From which, 

 however, the Bishop's conclusion that the dogmas are true 

 doesn't follow. — With best remembrances to Mrs. Darwin, ever 

 yours very faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



This incident suggests the story of a retort he once 

 made upon what he considered an unseasonable protest in 

 church, a story which exemplifies, by the way, his strong 

 sense of the decencies of life, appearing elsewhere in his 

 constant respect for the ordinary conventions and his dislike 

 for mere Bohemianism as such. 



Once in a country house he was sitting at dinner next 

 to his hostess, a lady who, as will sometimes happen, liked 

 to play the part of Lady Arbitress of the whole neighbour- 

 hood. She told him how much she disapproved of the 

 Athanasian Creed, and described how she had risen and left 



