1884.] 
Analyses 0 / Books. 
97 
he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for 
professing to know or believe.” b nQS tor 
It might here, perhaps, be asked by a doubter what is the 
exadt meaning which the learned Professor attaches to the words 
compelled 0 toTt « ? J?° ^ ^ ° f eminent ~Zn g 
ompelled to retradl their assertions, thus proving that their 
grounds for ‘ professing to know ” were not truly “ scientific ” 
1 urn we to the second question and reply “ Consequents 
Agnosticism puts aside not only the greater part of popular the 7 
w ’ bUt also , the grater part of popular anti-theology. 
ne^fnr nt Tf re ® t0 SUbmit that this Second question is scarcely 
needful. If we are not, except on what are commonly called 
scientific grounds,” to say that we know or believe anythin^ 
not merely “ the greater part of popular theology and anti- 
sound basis Wi “ ‘° be given up ^devoid of a 
ThuxUy, and lastly Prof. Huxley has “ no doubt that scientific 
criticism will prove destructive to the forms of super-naturalism 
which enter into the constitution of existing religions ” He 
^ s, however, as a saving clause, - There may be things, not 
only in the heavens and earth, but beyond the intelligible uni- 
verse, which ‘ are not dreamt of in our philosophy.’ 
gnosticism simply says that we know nothing of what may be 
beyond phenomena.” Might it not have been judicious here to 
add that we do not know phenomena save as changes in our 
own consciousness ? 0 
Such, then are Prof. Huxley’s opinions on Agnosticism ex- 
pressed with his usual force and clearness. As such they were 
pi inted and put forth to the world in the first edition 7 0 f the 
gnostic Annual,” wherein Prof. Huxley’s name ranked fore- 
most among the contributors. The first impression was quickly 
sold out, and the publishers of the “Annual ” found it desirable 
to issue another edition. Accordingly Mr. C. A. Watts wrote to 
‘< mni HUX 6y ’ Und ^ dat - G November 1 6th, asking if he wished to 
PmShl an y, correc%on or addition to ” his communication ? 
riobably to his surprse he received the following reply 
n 1 SlR J —I sba11 be obliged if you will inform me by what 
authority you have printed and published a private letter which 
l addressed to you, and have announced my name as one of the 
con nbutors to a publication of which I never so much as heard 
nth I received a copy from you. My answer to your letter of 
he i6th mst. will depend upon your reply to these two questions. 
— truly your obedient servant, 
“ c. A. Watts, Esq." “ T ' H ' HuxLEY ' 
We must first call the attention of the reader to the words 
which we have italicised, and then refer him to the original letter 
