1879 THE ECLIPSE OF FAITH 89 



in a potential state, you seem to me to beg the whole 

 question.' 



Please observe it is not I, but a theologian who 

 has thus addressed you, but I could not answer him. 

 In your present ' idiotic ' state of mind, you will wish 

 me at the devil for bothering you. 1 



Yours very sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



18 Cornwall Terrace, Eegent's Park : Sunday, Dec. 1878. 



My dear Mr. Darwin, — Many thanks for your 

 portrait — not only from myself but also from the 

 i future Mrs. Eomanes.' 



I am glad that you think well of the literary style 

 of the book on Theism. As regards the remarks 

 of the supposed theologian, I have no doubt that he 

 is entitled to them. The only question is whether I 

 have been successful in making out that all natural 

 cases must reasonably be supposed to follow from the 

 conservation of energy. If so, as the transmutations 

 of energy from heat to electricity &c. all take place 

 in accordance with law, and as the phenomena of 

 polarity in crystals &c. do the same, it follows that 

 neither these nor any other class of phenomena 

 afford any better evidence of Deity than do any other 

 class of phenomena. Therefore, if all laws follow 

 from the persistence of force, the question of Deity 

 or no Deity would simply become the question as to 

 whether force requires to be created or is self-existent. 

 And if we say it is created, the fact of self-existence 

 still requires to be met in the Creator. 



1 He was engaged to be married. 



