1865.] Science, Politics, and Beligion. 195 



of evidence they can find in its favour ; but that evidence should con- 

 sist either of old and acknowledged facts, or of new discoveries. Some 

 writers and observers do not, however, see the matter in this light, 

 and instead of testing the accuracy of the doctrine by their discoveries 

 or inquiring whether these afford new evidence in its favour, they at 

 once employ it as an acknowledged standard whereby to estimate the 

 value of their new researches, assuming their favourite theory to be 

 the complete law of life, and with the aid of their new facts, drawing 

 inferences in regard to the past and present condition of the globe and 

 of its inhabitants, which would no doubt be perfectly correct, provided 

 Mr. Darwin's theory be the whole truth. Fallacious as this method 

 of induction may be, it is in our judgment infinitely preferable to 

 another mode of reasoning, which discredits without inquiry all new 

 data advanced by the believers in " natural selection," on the ground 

 that the primary doctrine is impious, or what not ; or which rejects 

 as unsound all inferences that may be in harmony with the detested 

 creed ! 



Notwithstanding the kind of " circle sailing " adopted by the first 

 class of reasoners, we are always sure, if we accompany them, to 

 learn something new on the voyage, and although their statements 

 may be far from convincing, they are certain to afford us a fresh oppor- 

 tunity to form a correct opinion on the subject. It is not difficult 

 to distinguish between legitimate inferences drawn from facts, and 

 others which may be the result of feeling ; and as regards the fol- 

 lowers of Mr. Darwin, we have sufficient faith in their sincerity to 

 believe that they would wish every communication to be carefully 

 considered, not examined from their point of view or implicitly re- 

 ceived like the Pope's 'Encyclical,' but that their facts and inferences- 

 should be weighed, and sifted, and criticized, and only accepted when 

 they approve themselves to the good sense of the scientific community. 



As to the accusation of materialism, another expression for atheism, 

 to which some of the followers of Mr. Darwin have rendered them- 

 selves obnoxious (for those who profess to find any atheism in his 

 work are not entitled to credit for candour and sincerity), it is to be 

 deeply regretted, not only on their own account, but for the sake of 

 Science and free inquiry. It is just as absurd in those would-be 

 philosophers to imagine because there are accumulating indications 

 that the processes of nature were in past ages all brought about, more 

 or less, by secondary agencies, that therefore there is not a Creative 

 power nor a watchful Kuler whose existence was needed to bring the 

 universe into existence and maintain the fabric in order and harmony, 

 as it would be for a few sapient bees to believe that because they find 

 themselves in a comfortable hive with a convenient exit, and because 

 flowers spring up and blossom periodically in their vicinity, therefore 

 there is no gardener nor bee-master, and no being higher than their 

 apiarian majesties ! We shall not gratify the love of notoriety, which 

 usually impels such persons to publish their unreasoning dogmas, 

 by mentioning their names, but shall dismiss them by placing them 

 in the same category with their opposites, who can see no religion in 

 nature because it does not accord with their sectarianism. 



