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Paley’s argument in the form of a parallel or ratio : — as the certitude of the 
existence of a maker and contriver from the design of the watch, so the 
certitude of the existence of a Creator from the vast mechanism and the 
grand contrivances, moral and material, which are found throughout crea- 
tion ; and if, therefore, the one conclusion is sound the other must be also 
by a parallel form of reasoning. I think it is a debateable question, whether 
abstract certitudes may or may not rise higher than the grounds upon 
which they rest. If we can prove it scientifically, so much the better for us • 
but it should be thoroughly well considered, and not taken too much for 
granted. (Cheers.) 
Rev. Dr. Rigg-. — A lthough I have not heard the whole of the paper, I 
take the liberty of rising, for the reason that I have very carefully examined 
Dr. Newman’s Essay from the first page to the last, and I have analyzed it, 
and formed a very careful judgment upon its general scheme and foundations ; 
and although I have not heard the whole of Mr. Row’s paper to-night, I have 
examined it, and found it to be a very valuable one ; and I will take the 
liberty of saying, in the first place, what the character of the Newman phi- 
losophy in this essay appears to me to be. I take it that the Newman 
philosophy, as such, is clearly a sceptical philosophy — essentially and pro- 
foundly sceptical, — and that scepticism is the philosophical basis of the 
whole of the essay. His is a philosophy which teaches that there is no such 
thing as absolute truth to be discovered by any objective demonstration 
whatever. It is, in fact, the philosophy of Hume. I grant that it is not the 
religion of Hume, but it is his philosophy ; and I am sure the more 
it is analyzed the more clearly it will be seen that it is closely allied to the 
philosophy of Hume and also to the philosophy of Mill. I am sorry that I 
have to speak less from book than I desire to do, but the fact is that I 
came here in great haste, or otherwise I should have brought Dr. New- 
man’s Essay with me, so that I might have referred to some passages in 
it. One remarkable thing which Dr. Newman tells us is, that a straight 
line is a mere notion ; and the more that statement is studied the more I 
think it will be seen that nothing but scepticism of a very peculiar cha- 
racter could lead to such a statement as that a straight line is a mere 
abstract notion. Such being the case, the whole of Dr. Newman’s Essay, 
though consistent in its general scope, is inconsistent, as all essays not 
begun in truth must be, in many of its particular statements. I think Mr. 
Titcomb has missed the distinction which Dr. Newman carefully lays down 
between certitude and certainty — that distinction is vital. We must all 
admit that there are many cases of illusive certitudes in which conviction, as 
we feel it, far transcends the evidence on which it rests. There can be no 
doubt of that. But what Dr. Newman teaches us is that there is no such 
thing as certainty which is absolutely attainable. Certitude, he maintains, 
may be felt, but certainty cannot be attained. I confess that I should 
not agree with Mr. Row in saying that certitude, as such, is liable to varia- 
tion and to degrees. I have not the least objection to take Dr. Newman s 
