24 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
and good, as that which imputes to Him a fixed design, begin- 
ning well and in the sequel going bad. 
Those who hold these opposite opinions may be compared to 
the two armourers in the ancient legend, one of whom boasted, 
as the orthodox boast, that his coat of mail was impenetrable ; 
the other, like the scientific men, that he had a sword which 
no coat of mail could resist. Just as some persons stake their 
religion on the truth of some favourite prejudice, the one 
champion agreed to stand the buffet of his rival’s sword in the 
armour which he thought could never be pierced. The blow 
descended, and he stood unmoved, smiling with scorn and 
triumph at the smiter, as some perhaps are even now smiling 
at the inefficacy of my argument. But the other said, 66 Is it 
possible, my friend, you do not know that I have cut you in 
two ? Just shake yourself.’ And the triumphant boaster 
shook himself, and fell to pieces. The keenness and temper of 
the blade had done what scientific reason has done with a large 
group of popular prejudices. They still stand upright and 
look science in the face and laugh at it. But science has 
already cut them in two, severed their heads from their feet. 
Even now Science is saying to Superstition, “ Shake yourself,” 
and presently Superstition will shake itself and fall to pieces. 
But do not fear that the death of Superstition and the ruins of 
prejudice will involve any damage or hurt to religion. The 
death of the one is the life of the other. As in the Laureate’s 
allegory, when the gigantic and horrible figure of Death has 
been cleft through helmet and through skull, 
u Out from this 
Issued the bright face of a blooming boy, 
Fresh as a flower new-born 
so, when Superstition has been slain, Eeligion stands forth, no 
longer trammelled by vain armour not of proof, no longer dis- 
torted by ghastly imageries, and misrepresented under form 
and features not its own, but in unclouded majesty and grace. 
