316 What is Religion ? [June, 
time conceived in such bad taste. Whatever be the teaching 
of the Athanasian Creed it is much better than that she 
advances, the fundamental principle of which is the self. 
A few individuals probably would reserve to themselves pro- 
priety of conduct, but as the common creed of man it would 
be subversive of all morals and order, and would loose the 
most degrading despotism, and make the most disgusting 
license the rule and practice. 
Prof. Huxley tells us that Science is “ trained common 
sense, — i.e., the experiences of man verified by observation. 
If this axiom is applied to Hylo-Idealism, where are we ? 
All intellectual aspirations and moral obligation ignored, 
nothing left but the individual self, — “ thinks,” — the inspira- 
tions of phenomenal images, — we can then, having our ori- 
gin in matter, but think matter. “ It was the dogma of the 
Sophist that man is the measure of all things ; it should 
not be the dogma of the sober thinker” (H. G. Lewes). What 
says the great Idealist, Berkeley, who teaches there is only 
one substance, viz., Spirit, and with this he can “ con- 
struct the world.” “ Of the existence of matter we have no 
proof whatever ; it is a mere inference : it is inferred in order 
to explain phenomena, and what phenomena ? Those 
of perception — i.e., the phenomena of the thinking sub- 
stance.” Hume said Berkeley’s hypothesis admitted of no 
answer, but produced no conviction. H. G. Lewes says — 
“ and we have met with no final refutation of it.” “ That 
the theory is opposed to the irresistible belief of man is no 
refutation of it, because it does not follow that irresistible 
belief is true, — e.g., for many ages it was believed that the 
sun revolved around the earth ; the belief was irresistible, 
and false.” So now that the sun rises and sets, when the 
sun is said to set the earth revolves from west to east, and 
so obscures the sun ; also when it is said to rise it is the 
revolution of the earth which makes it apparent. It is 
a continuation of the old belief, and has correction in 
Science. Kant said “ Admitting Idealism to be as dangerous 
as it really is, it would still remain a shame to philosophy 
and reason to be forced to ground the existence of an exter- 
nal world on the (mere) existence of a belief.” — (Vide “ Biog. 
Hist. Phil.,” p. 274, et inf.) In all matters of belief the 
true question is, Is the belief well founded ? If Lewes, 
Hume, Kant, and a host of reasoners are in opposition, 
What is the answer of the Hylo-Idealists ? That man is 
the measure of all things ; that thinks are things ; that 
there is but the Ego — hence that all knowledge is individual. 
Further on we shall see C. N.’s exposition. The great error 
