The Ethics of Opinion. 257 
in favour of good or of evil, that bias must inevitably deter- 
mine or form his predominant motive, until superseded by 
a stronger opposing motive, when the first would no longer 
be predominant. But in either case freedom is incompa- 
tible, not only with the superseding motive, but also with the 
original bias ; for when either exists, it must constitute a 
predominant motive until superseded by astronger. This is 
as clear and simple as changing the weights ina pair of scales ; 
for neither can man’s imagined will, nor any other power, 
make a lighter weight preponderate, nor a weaker motive 
overcome a stronger. 
The sentence which succeeds that which I last quoted from 
“A.K.H.B.,” is evidently intended, but entirely fails, as a kind 
of compromise. He says, “ But we have learned that great 
“lesson of toleration which the world took many ages to 
“learn ; that for his HONEST BELIEF, man is indeed respon- 
“sible, but responsible solely to his Maker.”* For the words 
“HONEST BELIEF,’ clearly involve, that the best use of abili- 
ties and circumstances has been made, otherwise they would 
be inappropriate and impertinent. Over his original consti- 
tution and opportunities, as a man cannot be justly held or 
supposed to have any control, so therefore he cannot possi- 
bly be held responsible for them. How has the world 
“learned that great lesson of toleration,” but by learning that 
any man’s beliefis the necessary result of his constitution and 
circumstances? And that therefore for such belief he cannot, 
be justly held responsible? For so far as that constitution and 
those circumstances are MADE by his MAKER, that MAKER alone 
must be responsible for them, and not the man who had no 
‘possible selection of or control over them. This is essentially 
not transferring to a more competent hand merely the right to 
blame and punish, but the entire responsibility for erroneous 
beliefis what is really transferred. This cannot be evaded. 
When “ A.K.H.B.” says that he sees “that Almighty God 
“LOOKS ON at us, going through life thinking so differently, 
“and VOUCHSAFES TO US NO UNMISTAKABLE INFORMATION 
“which of us is right,” - whom does he make responsible 
for that want of information? Those who. strive painfully 
after information, or him who withholds it ? It is very easy to 
say that perhaps “the difference is not one to make any very 
“bitter fight about.”} But the difference here at issue is vital, 
involving the very bases upon which we erect our moral 
* Longmans, p. 318. ft ibid, 'p. 319. { Ibid, p. 319. 
