179 
ally that writers and speakers, who manifest that they have 
no acquaintance with the atomic theory, — as now a matter of 
proven science, — still use its language without danger of detec- 
tion ; because so few of their hearers are at all competent to 
discover their presumption, or to prick the inflated bladder 
of their speculation. 
34. Locke, as quoted by Huxley, expressed himself as 
follows : — “ And thus here, as in all other cases when we use 
words without having clear and distinct ideas, we talk like 
children , who, being questioned what such a thing is, readily 
give this satisfactory answer, that it is something , which in 
truth signifies no more when so used either by children or 
men but that they know not what, and that the thing they 
pretend to talk and know of is what they have no distinct 
idea of at all, and are so perfectly ignorant of it and in the 
dark. The idea, then, we have to which we give the general 
name substance being nothing but the supposed but unknown 
support of those qualities we find existing which we imagine 
cannot exist, sine re substante , without something to support 
them, we call that support substantia , which, according to 
the true import of the word is, in plain English, standing 
under or upholding.” 
35. I generally admire the clearness of thought and the 
appropriateness of diction with which this learned Professor 
(Huxley) sets forth his views on all subjects that are within 
his ken, but I fail to follow him in “ the metaphysics of 
sensation ” from which I quote. He says that he cannot but 
believe that “ the judgment of Locke is that which Philosophy 
will accept as her final decision.”* He concludes that 
“whether either mind or matter has a substance or not is a 
problem which we are incompetent to discuss, and it is just as 
likely that the common notions upon the subject should be 
correct as any others.” 
36. I cannot think we are incompetent to discuss either, in 
the light of common sense , and taking care that our language 
deals with facts, and not with the mere fictions of the 
imagination. 
37. I contend for atoms as being literally realities , — things 
not only knowable, but ponderable. So Lucretius, — - 
“Non ex illorum conventu conciliata 
Sed magis ceterna potentia simplicitate 
Unde neque avelli quidquam nec diminui jam 
Concedit natura, reservans semina rebus. 5 ’ — Lib. i., line 603, &c. 
* Critiques and Addresses, by T. R. Huxley, LL.D., F.R.S., p. 349, &c. 
