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diff --git a/old/flnst10h.htm b/old/flnst10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..77cbbfb --- /dev/null +++ b/old/flnst10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5332 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> +<TITLE>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Fallen Star, by E. L. Bulwer, and A Dissertation on the Origin of Evil, by Lord Brougham</TITLE> +<META HTTP-EQUIV="content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=utf-8"> +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +.smallcaps {font-variant: small-caps} +P {text-indent: 2% } +</STYLE> +</HEAD> +<BODY bgcolor="#99FF99"> +<H1>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Fallen Star, by E. L. Bulwer, and A Dissertation on the Origin of Evil, by Lord Brougham</H1> + +<pre> +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Fallen Star + +Author: E. L. Bulwer + +Title: A Dissertation on the Origin of Evil + +Author: Lord Brougham + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8654] +[This file was first posted on July 30, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: utf-8 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE FALLEN STAR *** + + + + +E-text prepared by David Deley + + + +</PRE> + +<CENTER><H3>THE</H3></CENTER> +<CENTER><H1>FALLEN STAR</H1></CENTER> +<CENTER><H3>or, THE HISTORY OF A FALSE RELIGION</H3></CENTER> +<CENTER><H2>by E.L. Bulwer</H2></CENTER> +<br> + +<CENTER><H3>AND</H3></CENTER> +<br> +<CENTER><H1>A DISSERTATION ON THE ORIGIN OF EVIL</H1></CENTER> +<CENTER><H2>by Lord Brougham</H2></CENTER> +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<CENTER>PUBLISHER’S PREFACE</CENTER> +<P> +RELIGION, says Noah Webster in his <i>American +Dictionary of the English Language</i>, is derived +from “Religo, to bind anew;” and, in this <i>History +of a False Religion</i>, our author has shown how +easily its votaries were insnared, deceived, and +mentally bound in a labyrinth of falsehood and +error, by a designing knave, who established a new +religion and a new order of priesthood by imposing +on their ignorance and credulity. + +<P> + + The history of the origin of one supernatural +religion will, with slight alterations, serve to +describe them all. Their claim to credence rests on +the exhibition of so-called miracles—that is, on +a violation of the laws of nature,—for, if +religions were founded on the demonstrated truths of +science, there would be no mystery, no +supernaturalism, no miracles, no skepticism, no +false religion. We would have only verified truths +and demonstrated facts for the basis of our belief. +But this simple foundation does not satisfy the +unreasoning multitude. They demand signs, portents, +mysteries, wonders and miracles for their faith and +the supply of prophets, knaves and impostors has +always been found ample to satisfy this abnormal +demand of credulity. + +<P> + + Designing men, even at the present day, find +little difficulty in establishing new systems of +faith and belief. Joseph Smith, who invented the +Mormon religion, had more followers and influence in +this country at his death, than the Carpenter’s Son +obtained centuries ago from the unlettered +inhabitants of Palestine; and yet Smith achieved his +success among educated people in this so-called +enlightened age, while Jesus taught in an age of +semi-barbarism and faith, when both Jews and Pagans +asserted and believed that beasts, birds, reptiles +and even fishes understood human language, were +often gifted with human speech, and sometimes seemed +to possess even more than ordinary human +intelligence. + +<P> + + They taught that the serpent, using the language +of sophistry, beguiled Eve in Eden, who in turn +corrupted Adam, her first and only husband. At the +baptism of Jesus by John in the river Jordan, the +voice of a dove resounded in the heavens, saying, +quite audibly and distinctly, “Thou art my beloved +Son; in thee I am well pleased.” Balaam disputed +with his patient beast of burden, on their celebrated +journey in the land of Moab, and the ass proved +wiser in the argument that ensued than the inspired +prophet who bestrode him, The great fish Oannes +left his native element and taught philosophy to the +Chaldeans on dry land. One reputable woman, of +Jewish lineage,—the mother of an interesting +family—was changed to a pillar of salt in Sodom +while another female of great notoriety known to +fame as the celebrated “Witch of Endor,” raised +Samuel from his grave in Ramah. Saint Peter found a +shilling in the mouth of a fish which he caught in +the Sea of Galilee, and this lucky incident enabled +the impecunious apostle to pay the “tribute money” +in Capernaum. Another famous Israelite,—so it is +said,—broke the record of balloon ascensions in +Judea, and ascended into heaven in a chariot of +fire. + +<P> + + In an age of ignorance wonders abound, prodigies +occur, and miracles become common, The untaught +masses are easily deceived, and their unreasoning +credulity enables them to proudly boast of their +unquestioning faith. When their feelings are excited +and their passions aroused by professional +evangelists, they even profess to believe that which +they cannot comprehend; and, in the satirical +language of Bulwer, they endeavor to “<i>assist +their ignorance by the conjectures of their +superstition</i>.” + +<P> + + Among the multitudes of diverse and opposing +religions which afflict mankind, it is self-evident +that but one religion may justly claim the +inspiration of truth, and it is equally evident to +all reasoning minds that that religion is the +religion of kindness and humanity,—the religion +of noble thoughts and generous deeds,—which +removes the enmities of race and creed, and “makes +the whole world kin!” And which, in its observance +is blessed with sympathy, friendship, happiness and +love. + +<P> + + This religion needs no creed, no profession of +faith, no incense, no prayer, no penance, no +sacrifice. Its whole duty consists in comforting the +afflicted, assisting the unfortunate, protecting the +helpless, and in honestly fulfilling our duties to +our fellow mortals. In the language of Confucius, +the ancient Chinese Sage, it is simply “to behave to +others as I would require others to behave to me.” + +<P> + + “Do unto others as you would they should do +unto you,” says Jesus; and in the Epistle of James, +we are told that “Pure Religion and undefiled +before God and the Father is this, To visit the +fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to +keep himself unspotted from the world.” + +<P> + + The same benign and generous conduct is commended +in even grander and nobler language in the lectures +to the French Masonic Lodges: “Love one another, +teach one another, help one another. That is all our +doctrine, all our science, all our law.” + +<P> + +It is believed that the learned dissertation of +Lord Brougham on the <i>Origin of Evil</i>, which is +annexed to this work, will need no commendation +to ensure its careful perusal. +<BR><BR> + PETER ECKLER. +<BR><BR><BR><BR> +<HR width=70 align=center> + +<CENTER><H1>THE FALLEN STAR</H1></CENTER> +<CENTER><H2>or, HISTORY OF A FALSE RELIGION.</H2></CENTER> +<CENTER><H2>by E.L. Bulwer</H2></CENTER> +<br> +<CENTER><H2>AN ALLEGORY OF THE STARS.</H2></CENTER> +<HR width=70 align=center> +And the Stars sat, each on his ruby throne, and +watched with sleepless eyes upon the world. +It was the night ushering in the new year, a +night on which every star receives from the archangel +that then visits the universal galaxy, its +peculiar charge. + +<P>The destinies of men and empires are then portioned +forth for the coming year, and, unconsciously +to ourselves, our fates become minioned to the +stars. + +<P>A hushed and solemn night is that in which +the dark gates of time open to receive the ghost of +the dead year, and the young and radiant stranger +rushes forth from the clouded chasms of eternity. +On that night, it is said that there are given to +the spirits that we see not, a privilege and a power; +the dead are troubled in their forgotten graves, and +men feast and laugh, while demon and angel are +contending for their doom. + +<P>It was night in heaven; all was unutterably +silent, the music of the spheres had paused, and +not a sound came from the angels of the stars; and +they who sat upon those shining thrones were +three thousand and ten, each resembling each. + +<P>Eternal youth clothed their radiant limbs with +celestial beauty, and on their faces was written the +dread of calm, that fearful stillness which feels not, +sympathizes not with the dooms over which it +broods. + +<P>War, tempest, pestilence, the rise of empires, +and their fall, they ordain, they, compass, unexultant +and uncompassionate. The fell and thrilling +crimes that stalk abroad when the world sleeps—the +parricide with his stealthy step, and horrent +brow, and lifted knife; the unwifed mother that +glides out and looks behind, and behind, and +shudders, and casts her babe upon the river, and +hears the wail, and pities not—the splash, and +does not tremble! + +<P>These the starred kings behold—to these they +lead the unconscious step; but the guilt blanches +not their lustre, neither doth remorse wither their +unwrinkled youth. + +<P>Each star wore a kingly diadem; round the loins +of each was a graven belt, graven with many and +mighty signs; and the foot of each was on a burning +ball, and the right arm dropped over the knee +as they bent down from their thrones; they moved +<!-- Page 5 --> +not a limb or feature, save the finger of the right +hand, which ever and anon moved slowly, pointing, +and regulated the fates of men as the hand of the +dial speaks the career of time. + +<P>One only of the three thousand and ten wore not +the same aspect as his crowned brethren; a star, +smaller than the rest, and less luminous. The countenance +of this star was not impressed with the +awful calmness of the others; but there were sullenness +and discontent upon his mighty brow. + +<P>And this star said to himself—“Behold, I am +created less glorious than my fellows, and the archangel +apportions not to me the same lordly destinies. +Not for me are the dooms of kings and +bards, the rulers of empires, or, yet nobler, the +swayers and harmonists of souls. Sluggish are the +spirits and base the lot of the men I am ordained +to lead through a dull life to a fameless grave. And +wherefore?—Is it mine own fault, or is it the fault +which is not mine, that I was woven of beams less +glorious than my brethren? Lo! when the archangel +comes, I will bow not my crowned head to +his decrees. I will speak, as the ancestral Lucifer +before me: <i>he</i> rebelled because of his glory, <i>I</i> because +of my obscurity; <i>he</i> from the ambition of +pride, and <i>I</i> from its discontent.” + +<P>And while the star was thus communing with +himself, the upward heavens were parted as by a +long river of light, and adown that stream swiftly, +<!-- Page 6 --> +and without sound, sped the archangel visitor of +the stars; his vast limbs floated in the liquid lustre, +and his outspread wings, each plume the glory of +a sun, bore him noiselessly along; but thick clouds +veiled his lustre from the eyes of mortals, and +while above all was bathed in the serenity of his +splendor, tempest and storm broke below over the +children of the earth: + +<P>“He bowed the heavens and came down, and +darkness was under his feet.” + +<P>And the stillness on the faces of the stars became +yet more still, and the awfulness was humbled into +awe. Right above their thrones paused the course +of the archangel; and his wings stretched from +east to west, overshadowing with the shadow of +light the immensity of space. Then forth in the +shining stillness, rolled the dread music of his +voice: and, fulfilling the heraldry of god, to each +star he appointed the duty and the charge, and +each star bowed his head yet lower as he heard the +fiat, while his throne rocked and trembled at the +majesty of the word. But at last, when each of +the brighter stars had, in succession, received the +mandate, and the viceroyalty over the nations of +the earth, the purple and diadems of kings—the +archangel addressed the lesser star as he sat apart +from his fellows + +<P>“Behold,” said the archangel, “the rude tribes +of the north, the fishermen of the river that flows +<!-- Page 7 --> +beneath, and the hunters of the forests, that darken +the mountain-tops with verdure! these be thy +charge, and their destinies thy care. Nor deem +thou, O star of the sullen beams, that thy duties +are less glorious than the duties of thy brethren; +for the peasant is not less to thy master and mine +than the monarch; nor doth the doom of empires +rest more upon the sovereign than on the herd. +The passions and the heart are the dominion of the +stars—a mighty realm; nor less mighty beneath +the hide that garbs the shepherd, than the jewelled +robes of eastern kings.” + +<P>Then the star lifted his pale front from his +breast, and answered the archangel: + +<P>“Lo!” he said, “ages have past, and each year +thou hast appointed me to the same ignoble charge. +Release me, I pray thee, from the duties that I +scorn; or, if thou wilt that the lowlier race of men +be my charge, give unto me the charge not of +many, but of one, and suffer me to breathe into +him the desire that spurns the valleys of life, and +ascends its steeps. If the humble are given to me, +let there be amongst them one whom I may lead +on the mission that shall abase the proud; for, behold, +O Appointer of the Stars, as I have sat for +uncounted years upon my solitary throne, brooding +over the things beneath, my spirit hath gathered +wisdom from the changes that shift below. Looking +upon the tribes of earth, I have seen how the +<!-- Page 8 --> +multitude are swayed, and tracked the steps that +lead weakness into power; and fain would I be +the ruler of one who, if abased, shall aspire to +rule.” + +<P>As a sudden cloud over the face of noon was the +change on the brow of the archangel. + +<P>“Proud and melancholy star,” said the herald, +“thy wish would war with the courses of the invisible +destiny, that, throned far above, sways and +harmonizes all; the source from which the lesser +rivers of fate are eternally gushing through the +heart of the universe of things. Thinkest thou +that thy wisdom, of itself, can lead the peasant to +become a king?” + +<P>And the crowned star gazed undauntedly on the +face of the archangel, and answered: + +<P>“Yea!—grant me but one trial!” + +<P>Ere the archangel could reply, the farthest +centre of the heaven was rent as by a thunderbolt; +and the divine herald covered his face with his +hands, and a voice low and sweet, and mild with +the consciousness of unquestionable power, spoke +forth to the repining star: + +<P>“The time has arrived when thou mayest have +thy wish. Below thee, upon yon solitary plain, +sits a mortal, gloomy as thyself, who, born under +thy influence, may be moulded to thy will.” + +<P>The voice ceased, as the voice of a dream. Silence +was over the seas of space, and the archangel, +<!-- Page 9 --> +once more borne aloft, slowly soared away into the +farther heaven, to promulgate the divine bidding +to the stars of far-distant worlds. + +<P>But the soul of the discontented star exulted +within itself; and it said, “I will call forth a king +from the valley of the herdsmen, that shall trample +on the kings subject to my fellows, and render the +charge of the contemned star more glorious than +the minions of its favored brethren; thus shall I +revenge neglect—thus shall I prove my claim +hereafter to the heritage of the great of earth!” +<BR><BR><BR> +<P>At that time, though the world had rolled on for +ages, and the pilgrimage of man had passed +through various states of existence, which our dim +traditionary knowledge has not preserved, yet the +condition of our race in the northern hemisphere +was then what <i>we</i>, in our imperfect lore, have conceived +to be among the earliest. + +<BR> +<BR> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<CENTER><H1>FORMING A NEW RELIGION.</H1></CENTER> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 1 --> +<!-- (These part divisions in comments are not part of the original book) --> +<P> +By a rude and vast pile of stones, the masonry +of arts forgotten, a lonely man sat at midnight, +gazing upon the heavens. A storm had just passed +from the earth—the clouds had rolled away, and +the high stars looked down upon the rapid waters of +the Rhine; and no sound save the roar of the waves +and the dripping of the rain from the mighty trees, +was heard around the ruined pile: the white sheep +lay scattered on the plain, and slumber with them. +He sat watching over the herd, lest the foes of a +neighboring tribe seized them unawares, and thus he +coummuned with himself: + +<P> + + “The king sits upon his throne, and is honored +by a warrior race, and the warrior exults in the +trophies he has won; the step of the huntsman is +bold upon the mountain-top, and his name is sung +at night round the pine-fires, by the lips of the +bard; and the bard himself hath honor in the hail. +But I, who belong not to the race of kings, and +whose limbs can bound not to the rapture of war, +nor scale the eyries of the eagle and the haunts of +the swift stag; whose hand cannot string the harp, +and whose voice is harsh in the song; <i>I</i> have +neither honor nor command, and men bow not the +head as I pass along; yet do I feel within me the +consciousness of a great power that should rule my +species—not obey. My eye pierces the secret +hearts of men—I see their thoughts ere their lips +proclaim them; and I scorn, while I see, the +weakness and the vices which I never shared. I laugh +at the madness of the warrior—I mock within my +soul at the tyranny of kings. Surely there is +something in man’s nature more fitted to command—more +worthy of renoun, than the sinews of the arm, +or the swiftness of the feet, or the accident of +birth!” + +<P> + + As Morven, the son of Osslah, thus mused within +himself, still looking at the heavens, the solitary +man beheld a star suddenly shooting from its place, +and speeding through the silent air, till it as +suddenly paused right over the midnight river, and +facing the inmate of the pile of stones. + +<P> + + As he gazed upon the star strange thoughts +grew slowly over him. He drank, as it were, from +its solemn aspect, the spirit of a great design. A +dark cloud rapidly passing over the earth, snatched +the star from his sight; but left to his awakened +mind the thoughts and the dim scheme that had +come to him as he gazed. + +<P> + + When the sun arose one of his brethren relieved + him of his charge over the herd, and he went away, + but not to his father’s home. Musingly he plunged + into the dark and leafless recesses of the winter + forest; and shaped out of his wild thoughts, more + palpably and clearly, the outline of his daring hope. + +<P> + + While thus absorbed, he heard a great noise in +the forest, and, fearful lest the hostile tribe of the +Alrich might pass that way, he ascended one of +the loftiest pine-trees, to whose perpetual verdure +the winter had not denied the shelter he sought, +and, concealed by its branches, he looked anxiously +forth in the direction whence the noise had proceed. + +<P> + + And IT came—it came with a tramp and a crash, +and a crushing tread upon the crunched boughs +and matted leaves that strewed the soil—it came—it +came, the monster that the world now holds +no more—the mighty mammoth of the North! + +<P> + + Slowly it moved in its huge strength along, and +its burning eyes glittered through the gloomy +shade: its jaws, falling apart, showed the grinders +with which it snapped asunder the young oaks of +the forest; and the vast tusks, which, curved +downward to the midst of its massive limbs, glistened +white and ghastly, curdling the blood of one +destined hereafter to be the dreaded ruler of the +men of that distant age. + +<P> + + The livid eyes of the monster fastened on the +form of the herdsman, even amidst the thick darkness +of the pine. It paused—it glared upon him—its +jaws opened, and a low deep sound, as of gathering +thunder, seemed to the son of Osslah as the knell of +a dreadful grave. But after glaring on him for some +moments, it again, and calmly, pursued its terrible +way, crashing the boughs as it marched along, till +the last sound of its heavy tread died away upon +his ear. + +<P> + + Ere yet, however, before Morven had summoned +the courage to descend the tree, he saw the shining +of arms through the bare branches of the wood, +and presently a small hand of the hostile Alrich +came into sight. He was perfectly hidden from +them; and, listening as they passed him, he heard +one say to another: + +<P> + +“The night covers all things; why attack them by day?” + +<P> + + And he who seemed the chief of the band, answered +“Right. To-night, when they sleep in their +city, we will upon them. Lo! they will be drenched +in wine, and fall like sheep into our hands.” + +<P> + + “But where, O chief,” said a third of the band, +shall our men hide during the day? for there are +many hunters among the youth of the Oestrich +tribe, and they might see us in the forest unawares, +and arm their race against our coming.” + +<P> + + “I have prepared for that,” answered the chief. +“Is not the dark cavern of Oderlin at hand? Will +it not shelter us from the eyes of the victims?” + +<P> + + Then the men laughed, and shouting, they +went their way adown the forest. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 2 --> +<P> + When they were gone Morven cautiously descended, +and, striking into a broad path, hastened to a vale +that lay between the forest and the river in which +was the city where the chief of his country dwelt. + +<P> + + As he passed by the warlike men, giants in that +day, who thronged the streets (if streets they +might be called), their half garments parting from +their huge limbs, the quiver at their backs, and +the hunting spears in their hands, they laughed +and shouted out, and, pointing to him, cried: + +<P> + + “Morven, the woman! Morven, the cripple! +what dost thou among men?” + +<P> + + For the son of Osslah was small in stature and +of slender strength, and his step had halted from +his birth; but he passed through the warriors +unheedingly. + +<P> + + At the outskirts of the city he came upon a tail +pile, in which some old men dwelt by themselves, +and counseled the king when times of danger, or +when the failure of the season, the famine, or the +drought, perplexed the ruler, and clouded the +savage fronts of his warrior tribe. + +<P> + + They gave the counsels of experience, and when +experience failed, they drew, in their believing +ignorance, assurances and omens from the winds +of heaven, the changes of the moon, and the flights +of the wandering birds. Filled (by the voices of +the elements, and the variety of mysteries which +ever shift along the face of things, unsolved by the +wonder which pauses not, the fear which believes, +and that eternal reasoning of all experience, which +assigns causes to effects) with the notion of superior +powers, <i>they assisted their ignorance by the +conjectures of their superstition</i>. But as yet +they knew no craft and practiced no <i>voluntary</i> +delusion; they trembled too much at the mysteries, +which had created their faith, to seek to belie +them. They counselled as they believed, and the bold +dream had never dared to cross men thus worn and +grey with age, of governing their warriors and their +kings by the wisdom of deceit. + +<P> + + The son of Osslah entered the vast pile with a +fearless step, and approached the place at the +upper end of the hall, where the old men sat in +conclave. + +<P> + + “How, base-torn and craven limbed!” cried the +eldest, who had been a noted warrior in his day; +“darest thou enter unsummoned amidst the secret +councils of the wise men? Knowest thou not, +scatterling! that the penalty is death?” + +<P> + + “Slay me, if thou wilt,” answered Morven “but +hear! + +<P> + + “As I sat last night in the ruined palace of our +ancient kings, tending, as my father bade me, the +sheep that grazed around, lest the fierce tribe of +Alrich should descend unseen from the mountains +upon the herd, a storm came darkly on; and when +the storm, had ceased and I looked above on the +sky, I saw a star descend from its height towards +me, and a voice from the star said, ‘Son of Osslah, +leave thy herd and seek the council of the wise +men, and say unto them, that they take thee as +one of their number, or that sudden will be the +destruction of them, and theirs.’ + +<P> + + “But I had courage to answer the voice, and I +said, ‘Mock not the poor son of the herdsman. +Behold they will kill me if I utter so rash a word, +for I am poor and valueless in the eyes of the tribe +of Oestrich, and the great in deeds and the grey of +hair alone sit in the council of the wise men.’ + +<P> + + “Then the voice said, ‘Do my bidding, and I +will give thee a token that thou comest from the +powers that sway the seasons and sail upon the +eagles of the winds. Say unto the wise men that +this very night if they refuse to receive thee of +their band, evil shall fall upon them, and the +morrow shall dawn in blood.’ + +<P> + + “Then the voice ceased, and a cloud passed over +the star; and I communed with myself, and came, +O dread fathers, mournfully unto you. For I +feared that ye would smite me because of my bold +tongue, and that ye would, sentence me to the +death, in that I asked what may scarce be given +even to the sons of kings.” + +<P> + + Then the grim elders looked one at the other +and marvelled much, nor knew they what answer +they should make to the herdsman’s son. + +<P> + + At length one of the wise men said, “Surely +there must be truth in the son of Osslah, for he +would not dare to falsify the great lights of heaven. +If he had given unto men the words of the star, +verily we might doubt the truth. But who would +brave the vengeance of the gods of night?” + +<P> + + Then the elders shook their heads approvingly; +but one answered and said: + +<P> + + “Shall we take the herdsman’s son as our equal? +No!” + +<P> + + The name of the man who thus answered was +Darvan, and his words were pleasing to the elders. + +<P> + + But Morven spoke out: + +<P> + + “Of a truth, O councilors of kings! I look not +to be an equal with yourselves. Enough if I tend +the gates of your palace, and serve you as the son +of Osslah may serve;” and he bowed his head +humbly as he spoke. + +<P> + + Then said the chief of the elders, for he was +wiser than the others, “But how wilt thou deliver +us from the evil that is to come? Doubtless the +star hath informed thee of the service thou canst +render to us if we take thee into our palace, as well +as the ill that will fall on us if we refuse.” + +<P> + + Morven answered meekly: “Surely, if thou acceptest +thy servant, the star will teach him that which may +requite thee; but as yet he knows only what he has +uttered.” + +<P> + + Then the sages bade him withdraw, and they +communed with themselves and they differed +much; but though fierce men and bold at the war +cry of a human foe, they shuddered at the prophecy +of a star. So they resolved to take the son of +Osslah, and suffer him to keep the gate of the +council-hall. + +<P> + + He heard their decree and towed his head, and +went to the gate, and sat down by it in silence. + +<P> + + And the sun went down in the west, and the +first stats of the twilight began to glimmer, when +Morven started front his seat, and a trembling +appeared to seize his limbs. His lips foamed; an +agony and a fear possessed him; he writhed as a +man whom the spear of a foeman has pierced with +a mortal wound, and suddenly fell upon his face +on the stony earth. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 3 --> +<P> + The elders approached him; wondering, they +lifted him up. He slowly recovered as from a +swoon; his eyes rolled wildly. + +<P> + + “Heard ye not the voice of the star?” he said. + +<P> + + And the chief of the elders answered, “Nay, we +heard no sound.” + +<P> + + Then Morven sighed heavily. + +<P> + + “To me only the word was given. Summon +instantly, O councilors of the king! summon the +armed men, and all the youth of the tribe, and let +them take the sword and the spear, and follow thy +servant. For lo! the star hath announced to him +that the foe shall fall into our hands as the wild +beast of the forests.” + +<P> + + The son of Osslah spoke with the voice of command, +and the elders were amazed. + +<P> + + “Why, pause ye?” he cried. “Do the gods of +the night lie? On my head rest the peril if I +deceive ye.” + +<P> + + Then the elders communed together; and they +went forth and summoned the men of arms, and +all the young of the tribe; and each man took the +sword and the spear, and Morven also. And the +son of Osslah walked first, still looking up at +the star; and he motioned them to be silent, and +move with a stealthy step. + +<P> + + So they went through the thickest of the forest, +till they came to the mouth of a great cave, +overgrown with aged and matted trees, and it was +called the cave of Oderlin; and he bade the leaders +place the armed men on either side the cave, to the +right and to the left, among the hushes. + +<P> + + So they watched silently till the night deepened, +when they heard a noise in the cave and the sound +of feet, and forth came an armed man; and the +spear of Morven pierced him, and be fell dead at +the month of the cave. Another and another, and +both fell! Then loud and long was heard the warcry +of Alrich, and forth poured, as a stream over a +narrow bed, the river of armed men. + +<P> + + And the Sons of Oestrich fell upon them, and +the foe were sorely perplexed and terrified by the +suddenness of the battle and the darkness of the +night; and there was a great slaughter. + +<P> + + And when the morning came, the children of +Oestrich counted the slain, and found the leader of +Alrich and the chief men of the tribe amongst +them, and great was the joy thereof. + +<P> + + So they went back in triumph to the city, and +they carded the brave son of Osslah on their +shoulders, and shouted forth, “Glory to the servant +of the star.” + +<P> + + And Morven dwelt in the council of the wise men. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 4 --> + Now the king of the tribe had one daughter, +and she was stately amongst the women of the +tribe, and fair to look upon. And Morven gazed +upon her with the eyes of love, but he did not dare +to speak. + +<P> + + Now the son of Osslah laughed secretly at the +foolishness of men; he loved them not, for they +had mocked him; he honored them not, for he had +blinded the wisest of their elders. + +<P> + + He shunned their feasts and merriment and +lived apart and solitary. + +<P> + + The austerity of his life increased the mysterious +homage which his commune with the stars had +won him, and the boldest of the warriors bowed +his head to the favorite of the gods. + +<P> + + One day he was wandering by the side of the +river, and he saw a large bird of prey rise from the +earth, and give chase to a hawk that had not yet +gained the full strength of its wings. From his +youth the solitary Morven had loved to watch, in +the great forests and by the banks of the mighty +stream, the habits of the things which nature had +submitted to man; and looking now on the birds, +he said to himself, “Thus is it ever; by cunning +or by strength each thing wishes to master its +kind.” + +<P> + + While thus, moralizing, the larger bird had +stricken down the hawk, and it fell terrified and +panting at his feet. + +<P> + + Morven took the hawk in his hands, and the +vulture shrieked above him, wheeling nearer and +nearer to its protected prey; but Morven scared +away the vulture, and placing the hawk in his +bosom, he carried it home, and tended it carefully, +and fed it from his hand until it had regained its +strength; and the hawk knew him, and followed +him as a dog. + +<P> + + And Morven said, smiling to himself, “Behold, +<i>the credulous fools around me put faith in the flight +and motions of birds</i>. I will teach this poor hawk +to minister to my ends.” + +<P> + + So he tamed the bird, and tutored it according +to its nature; but he concealed it carefully from +others, and cherished it in secret. + +<P> + + The king of the country was old and like to die, +and the eyes of the tribe were turned to his two +sons, nor knew they which was the worthier to +reign. + +<P> + + And Morven passing through the forest one +evening, saw the younger of the two, who was a great +hunter, sitting mournfully under an oak, and looking +with musing eyes upon the ground. + +<P> + + “Wherefore musest thou, O swift footed Siror?” +said the son of Osslah; “and wherefore art thou +sad?” + +<P> + + “Thou canst not assist me,” answered the +prince, sternly; “take thy way.” + +<P> + + “Nay,” answered Morven, “thou knowest not +what thou sayest; am I not the favorite of the +stars?” + +<P> + + “Away, I am no graybeard whom the approach +of death makes doting: talk not to inc of the stars; +I know only the things that my eye sees and my +ear drinks in.” + +<P> + + “Hush,” said Morven, solemnly, and covering +his face; “hush! lest the heavens avenge thy +rashness. But, behold, the stars have given unto +me to pierce the secret hearts of others; and I can +tell thee the thoughts of thine.” + +<P> + + “Speak out, base-born!” + +<P> + + “Thou art the younger of two, and thy name is +less known in war than the name of thy brother; +yet wouldst thou desire to be set over his head, +and to sit at the high seat of thy father?” + +<P> + + The young man turned pale. + +<P> + + “Thou hast truth in thy lips,” said he, with a +faltering voice. + +<P> + + “Not from me, but from the stars, descends the +truth.” + +<P> + + “Can the stars grant my wish?” + +<P> + + “They can; let us meet to-morrow.” Thus saying, +Morven passed into the forest. + +<P> + + The next day, at noon, they met again. + +<P> + + “I have consulted the gods of night, and they +have given me the power that I prayed for, but on +one condition.” + +<P> + +“Name it.” + +<P> + + “That thou sacrifice thy sister on their altars +thou must build up a heap of stones, and take thy +sister into the wood, and lay her on the pile, and +plunge thy sword into her heart; so only shalt +then reign.” + +<P> + + The prince shuddered, and started to his feet, +and shook his spear at the pale front of Morven. + +<P> + + “Tremble,” said the son of Osslah, with a loud +voice. “Hark to the gods, who threaten thee with +death, that thou hast dared to lift thine arm against +their servant!” + +<P> + + As he spoke, the thunder rolled above; for one +of the frequent storms of the early summer was +about to break. + +<P> + + The spear dropped from the prince’s hand; he +sat down and cast his eyes on the ground. + +<P> + + “Wilt thou do the bidding of the stars, and +reign?” said Morven. + +<P> + + “I will!” cried Siror, with a desperate voice. + +<P> + + “This evening, then, when the sun sets, thou +wilt lead her hither, alone; I may not attend thee. +Now, let us pile the stones.” + +<P> + + Silently the huntsman bent his vast strength to +the fragments of rock that Morven pointed to him, +and they built the altar, and went their way. + +<P><BR> + + And beautiful is the dying of the great sum +when the last song of the birds fades into the lap +of silence; when the islands of the cloud are +bathed in light, and the first star springs up over +the grave of day. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 5 --> +<P> + “Whither leadest thou my steps, my brother?” +said Gina; “and why doth thy lip quiver? and +why dost thou tarn away thy face?” + +<P> + + “Is not the forest beautiful; doth it not tempt +us forth, my sister?” + +<P> + + “And wherefore are those heaps of stone piled +together?” + +<P> + + “Let others answer; <i>I</i> piled them not.” + +<P> + + “Thou tremblest brother: we will return.” + +<P> + + “Not so; by those stones is a bird that my shaft +pierced to-day; a bird of beautiful plumage that I +slew for thee.” + +<P> + + “We are by the pile: where hast thou laid the bird?” + +<P> + + “Here!” cried Siror; and he seized the maiden +in his arms, and, casting her on the rude altar, he +drew forth his sword to smite her to the heart. + +<P> + + Right over the stones rose a giant oak, the +growth of immemorial ages; and from the oak, or +from the heavens; broke forth a loud and solemn +voice: + +<P> + + +“Strike not, son of kings! the stars forbear +their own: the maiden thou shalt not slay; yet +shalt thou reign over the race of Oestrich; and +thou shall give Orna as a bride to the favorite of +the stars. Arise, and go thy way!” + +<P> + + The voice ceased: the terror of Orna had +overpowered for a time the springs of life; and +Siror bore her home through the wood in his strong +arms. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 6 --> +<P> + “Alas!” said Morven, when, at the next day, he +again met the aspiring prince; “alas! the stars +have ordained me a lot which my heart desires +not; for I, lonely of life, and crippled of shape, am +insensible to the fires of love; and ever, as thou +and thy tribe know, I have shunned the eyes of +women, for the maidens laughed at my halting step +and my sullen features; and so in my youth I +learned betimes to banish all thoughts of love. +But since they told me (as they declared to <i>thee</i>), +that only through that marriage, thou, O beloved +prince! canst obtain thy fatter’s plumed crown, I +yield me to their will.” + +<P> + + “But,” said the prince, “not until I am king +can I give thee my sister in marriage; for thou +knowest that my sire would smite me to the dust, +if I asked him to give the flower of our race to the +son of the herdsman Osslah.” + +<P> + + “Thou speakest the words of truth. Go home +and fear not: but, when thou art king, the sacrifice +must be made, and Orna mine. Alas! how can I +dare to lift my eyes to her! But so ordain the +dread kings of the night!—Who shall gainsay +their word?” + +<P> + + “The day that sees me king, sees Orna thine,” +answered the prince. + +<P> + + Morven walked forth, as was his wont, alone; +and he said to himself, “the king is old, yet may +he live long between me and mine hope!” and he +began to cast in his mind how he might shorten +the time. + +<P> + + Thus absorbed, he wandered on so unheedingly, +that night advanced, and he had lost his path +among the thick woods, and knew not how to regain +his home; so he lay down quietly beneath a tree, and +rested till day dawned. + +<P> + + Then hunger came upon him and he searched +among the bushes for such simple roots as those +with which, for he was ever careless of food, he +was used to appease the cravings of nature. + +<P> + + He found, among other more familiar herbs and +roots, a red berry of a sweetish taste, which he had +never observed before. He ate of it sparingly, and +had not proceeded far in the wood before he found +his eyes swim, and a deadly sickness come over +him. For several hours he lay convulsed on the +ground expecting death; but the gaunt spareness +of his frame, and his unvarying abstinence, +prevailed over the poison, and he recovered slowly, +and after great anguish: but he went with feeble +steps back to the spot where the berries grew, and, +plucking several, hid them in his bosom, and by +nightfall regained the city. + +<P> + + The next day he went forth among his father’s +herds, and seizing a lamb, forced some of the +berries into its stomach, and the lamb, escaping, +ran away, and fell down dead. Then Morven took +some more of the berries and boiled them down, +and mixed the juice with wine, and he gave the +wine in secret to one of his father’s servants, and +the servant died. + +<P> + + Then Morven sought the king, and coming into +his presence alone, he said unto him, “How fares +my lord?” + +<P> + + The king sat on a couch, made of the skins of +wolves, and his eye was glassy and dim; but vast +were his aged limbs and huge was his stature, and +he had been taller by a head than the children of +men, and none living could bend the bow he had +bent in youth. Grey, gaunt and worn, as some +mighty bones that are dug at times from the bosom +of the earth—a relic of the strength of old. + +<P> + + And the king said, faintly, and with a ghastly +laugh: + +<P> + + “The men of my years fare ill. What avails +my strength? Better had I been born a cripple +like thee, so should I have had nothing to lament +in growing old.” + +<P> + + The red flash passed over Morven’s brow; but +he bent humbly— + +<P> + + “O king, what if I could give thee back thy +youth? What if I could restore to thee the vigor +which distinguished thee above the sons of men, +when the warriors of Alrich fell like grass before +thy sword?” + +<P> + + Then the king uplifted his dull eyes, and he +said: + +<P> + + “What meanest thou, son of Osslah? Surely I +hear much of thy great wisdom, and how thou +speakest nightly with the stars. Can the gods of +the night give unto thee the secret to make the +old young?” + +<P> + + “Tempt them not by doubt,” said Morven, reverently. +“All things are possible to the rulers of +the dark hour; and, lo! the star that loves thy +servant spake to him at the dead of night, and +said, ‘Arise, and go unto the king; and tell him +that the stars honor the tribe of Oestrich, and +remember how the king bent his bow against the Sons +of Alrich; wherefore, look thou under the stone that +lies to the right of thy dwelling—even beside the +pine-tree, and thou shalt see a vessel of clay, and +in the vessel thou wilt find a sweet liquid, that +shall make the king thy master forget his age +forever.’ + +<P> + + “Therefore, my lord, when the morning rose I +went forth, and looked under the stone, and behold +the vessel of clay; and I have brought it hither to +my lord, the king.” + +<P> + + “Quick—slave—quick! that I may drink and +regain my youth!” + +<P> + + “Nay, listen, O king! farther said the star to +me: + +<P> + + “‘It is only at night, when the stars have power, +that this their gift will avail; wherefore, the king +must wait till the hush of the midnight, when the +moon is high, and then may he mingle the liquid +with his wine. + +<P> + + “‘And he must reveal to none that he hath received +the gift from the hand of the servant of the stars. +For THEY do their work in secret, and when men +sleep; therefore they love not the babble of mouths, +and he who reveals their benefits shall surely +die.’” + +<P> + + “Fear not,” said the king, grasping the vessel; +“none shall know: and, behold, I will rise on the +morrow; and my two sons—wrangling for my +crown—verily, I shall be younger than they!” + +<P> + + Then the king laughed loud; and he scarcely +thanked the servant of the stars, neither did he +promise him reward: for the kings in those days +had little thought—save for themselves. + +<P> + + And Morven said to him, “Shall I not attend +my lord? for without me, perchance, the drug +might fail of its effect.” + +<P> + + “Aye,” said the king, “rest here.” + +<P> + + “Nay,” replied Morven; “thy servants will marvel +and talk much, if they see the son of Osslah +sojourning in thy palace. So would the displeasure +of the gods of night perchance be incurred. +Suffer that the lesser door of the palace be unbarred, +so that at the night hour, when the moon +is midway in the heavens, I may steal unseen into +thy chamber, and mix the liquid with thy wine.” + +<P> + + “So be it,” said the king. “Thou art wise +though thy limbs are crooked and curt; and the +stars might have chosen a taller man.” + +<P> + + Then the king laughed again; and Morven +laughed too, but there was danger in the mirth of +the son of Osslah. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 7 --> +<P> + The night had began to wane, and the inhabitants +of Oestrich were buried in deep sleep, when, +hark! a sharp voice was heard crying out in the +streets, “Woe, woe! Awake ye sons of Oestrich—woe!” + +<P> + + Then forth, wild—haggard—alarmed—spear in +hand, rushed the giant sons of the rugged tribe, +and they saw a man on a height in the middle of +the city, shrieking, “Woe!” and it was Morven, +the son of Osslah! + +<P> + + And he said unto them, as they gathered round +him, “Men and warriors, tremble as ye hear. + +<P> + + “The star of the west hath spoken to me and +thus saith the star: + +<P> + + “‘Evil shall fall upon the kingly house of +Oestrich—yea, ere the morning dawns; wherefore, +go thou mourning into the streets, and wake the +inhabitants to woe!’ + +<P> + + “So I rose and did the bidding of the star.” + +<P> + + And while Morven was yet speaking, a servant +of the king’s house ran up to the crowd, crying +loudly: + +<P> + + “The king is dead!” + +<P> + + So they went into the palace and found the king +stark upon his couch, and his huge limbs all +cramped and crippled by the pangs of death, and +his hands clenched as if in menace of a foe—the +foe of all living flesh! + +<P> + + Then fear came on the gazers, and they looked +on Morven with a deeper awe than the boldest +warrior would have called forth: and they bore +him back to the council-hall of the wise men, +wailing and clashing their arms in woe, and +shouting, ever and anon: + +<P> + + “<i>Honor to Morven, the prophet!</i>” + +<P> + + And that was the first time the word PROPHET +was ever used in those countries. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 8 --> +<P> + At noon, on the third day from the king’s death, +Siror sought Morven, and he said: + +<P> + + “Lo, my father is no more, and the people meet +this evening at sunset to elect his successor, and +the warriors and the young men will surely choose +my brother, for he is more known in war. Fail +me not, therefore.” + +<P> + + “Peace, boy!” said Morven, sternly; “nor dare +to question the truth of the gods of night.” + +<P> + + For Morven now began to presume on his power +among the people, and to speak as rulers speak, +even to the sons of kings. + +<P> + + And the voice silenced the fiery Siror, nor dared +he to reply. + +<P> + + “Behold,” said Morven, taking up a chaplet of +colored plumes, “wear this on thy head, and put +on a brave face—for the people like a hopeful spirit—and +go down with thy brother to the place where +the new king is to be chosen, and leave the rest to +the stars. + +<P> + + “But, above all things, forget not that chaplet; +it has been blessed by the gods of night.” + +<P> + + The prince took the chaplet and returned home. + +<P> + + It was evening and the warriors and chiefs of +the tribe were assembled in the place where the +new king was to be elected. + +<P> + + And the voices of the many favored Prince +Voltoch, the brother of Siror, for he had slain twelve +foeman with his spear; and verily, in those days, +that was a great virtue in a king. + +<P> + + Suddenly there was a shout in the streets, and +the people cried out: + +<P> + +“Way for Morven, the prophet, the prophet!” + +<P> + + For the people held the son of Osslah in even +greater respect than did the chiefs. + +<P> + + Now, since he had become of note, Morven had +assumed a majesty of air which the son of the +herdsman knew not in his earlier days; and albeit +his stature was short, and his limbs halted, yet his +countenance was grave and high. + +<P> + + He only of the tribe wore a garment that swept +the ground, and his head was bare, and his long +black hair descended to his girdle, and rarely was +change or human passion seen in his calm aspect. + +<P> + + He feasted not, nor drank wine, nor was his +presence frequent in the streets. + +<P> + + He laughed not, neither did he smile, save when +alone in the forest—and then he laughed at the +follies of his tribe. + +<P> + + So he walked slowly through the crowd, neither +turning to the left nor to the right, as the crowd +gave way; and he supported his steps with a staff +of the knotted pine. + +<P> + + And when he came to the place where the chiefs +were met, and the two princes stood in the centre, +he bade the people around him proclaim silence. + +<P> + + Then mounting on a huge fragment of rock, he +thus spake to the multitude: + +<P> + + “Princes, wantors and bards! ye, O council of +the wise men! and ye, O hunters of the forests, +and snarers of the fishes of the streams! harken to +Morven, the son of Osslah. + +<P> + + “Ye know that I am lowly of race, and weak of +limb; but did I not give into your hands the tribe +of Alrich, and did ye not slay them in the dead of +night with a great slaughter? + +<P> + + “Surely, ye must know that this of himself did +not the herdsman’s son; surely he was but the +agent of the bright gods that love the children of +Oestrich. + +<P> + + “Three nights since, when slumber was on the +earth, was not my voice heard in the streets? + +<P> + + “Did I not proclaim woe to the kingly house of +Oestrich? and verily the dark arm had fallen on +the bosom of the mighty, that is no more. + +<P> + + “Could I have dreamed this thing merely in a +dream, or was I not as the voice of the bright gods +that watch over the tribes of Oestrich? + +<P> + + “Wherefore, O men and chiefs! scorn not the +son of Osslah, but listen to his words; for are they +not the wisdom of the stars? + +<P> + + “Behold, last night, I sat alone in the valley, +and the trees were hushed around, and not a breath +stirred; and I looked upon the star that councels +the son of Osslah; and I said: + +<P> + + “‘Dread conqueror of the cloud! thou that +bathest thy beauty in the streams and piercest the +pine-boughs with thy presence; behold thy servant +grieved because the mighty one hath passed away, +and many foes surround the houses of my brethren; +and it is well that they should have a king +valiant and prosperous in war, the cherished of +the stars. + +<P> + + “‘Wherefore, O star! as thou gavest into our +hands the warriors of Alrich, and didst warn us of +the fall of the oak of our tribe, wherefore, I pray +thee, give unto the people a token that they may +choose that king whom the gods of the night +prefer!’ + +<P> + + “Then a low voice sweeter than the music of +the bard, stole along the silence. + +<P> + + “‘Thy love for thy race is grateful to the stars +of night: go then, son of Osslah, and seek the +meeting of the chiefs and the people to choose a +king, and tell them not to scorn thee because thou +art slow to the chase and little known in war; for +the stars give thee wisdom as a recompense for all. + +<P> + + “‘Say unto the people that as the wise men of +the council shape their lessons by the flight of +birds, so by the flight of birds stall a token be +given unto them, and they shall choose their kings. + +<P> + + “‘For,’ said, the star of right, ‘the birds are +children of the winds, they pass to and fro along +the ocean of the air, and visit the clouds that are +the warships of the gods. + +<P> + + “‘And their music is but broken melodies which +they gleam from the harps above. + +<P> + + “‘Are they not the messengers of the storm? + +<P> + + “‘Ere the stream chafes against the bank, and +the rain descends, know ye not, by the wail of +birds and their low circles over the earth, that the +tempest is at hand? + +<P> + + “‘Wherefore, wisely do ye deem that the children +of the air are the fit interpreters between the +sons of men and the lords of the world above. + +<P> + + “‘Say then to the people and the chiefs, that +they shall take, from among the doves that nest in +the roof of the palace, a white dove, and they shall +let it loose in the air, and verily the gods of the +night shall deem the dove as a prayer coming from +the people, and they shall send a messenger to +grant the prayer and give to the tribes of Oestrich +a king worthy of themselves.’ + +<P> + + “With that the star spoke no more.” + +<P> + + Then the friends of Voltoch murmured among +themselves, and they said, “Shall this man dictate +to us who shall be king?” + +<P> + + But the people and the warriors shouted: + +<P> + + “Listen to the star; do we not give or deny +battle according as the bird flies—shall we not by +the same token choose him by whom the battle +should be led?” + +<P> + + And the thing seemed natural to them, for it +was after the custom of the tribe. + +<P> + + Then they took one of the doves that built in +the roof of the palace, and they bought it to the +spot where Morven stood, and he, looking up to +the stars and muttering to himself, released the +bird. + +<P> + + There was a copse of trees a little distance from +the spot, and as the dove ascended, a hawk suddenly +rose from the copse and pursued the dove; +and the dove was terrified, and soared circling high +above the crowd, when, lo, the hawk, poising itself +one moment on its wings, swooped with a sudden +swoop, and, abandoning its prey, alighted on the +plumed head of Siror. + +<P> + + “Behold,” cried Morven in a loud voice, “behold your +king!” + +<P> + + “Hail, all hail the king!” shouted the people. +“All hail the chosen of the stars!” + +<P> + + Then Morven lifted his right hand, and the +hawk left the prince, and alighted on Morven’s +shoulder. + +<P> + + “Bird of the gods!” said he, reverently, “hast +thou not a secret message for my ear?” Then +the hawk put its beak to Morven’s ear, and Morven +bowed his head submissively; and the hawk rested +with Morven from that moment and would not be +scared away. + +<P> + + And Morven said: + +<P> + + “The stars have sent me this bird, that, in the +day-time, when I see them not, we may never be +without a counsellor in distress.” + +<P> + + So Siror was made king, and Maven the son of +Osslah was constrained by the king’s will to take +Orna for his wife; and the people and the chiefs +honored Morven, the prophet, above all the elders +of the tribe. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 9 --> +<P> + One day Morven said unto himself, musing, +“Am I not already equal with the king? nay, is +not the king my servant? did I not place him over +the heads of his brothers? am I not, therefore, +more fit to reign than he is? shall I not push him +from his seat? + +<P> + + “It is a troublesome and stormy office to reign +over the wild men of Oestrich, to feast in the +crowded hail, and to lead die warriors to the fray. + +<P> + + “Surely, if I feasted not, neither went out to +war, they might say, ‘This is no king, but the cripple +Morven;’ and some of the race of Siror might +slay me secretly. + +<P> + + “But can I not be greater far than kings, and +continue to choose and govern them, living as now +at mine own ease? + +<P> + + “<i>Verily, the stars shall give me a new palace, and +many subjects</i>.” + +<P> + + Among the wise men was Darvan; and Morven +feared him, for his eye often sought the movements +of the son of Osslah. + +<P> + + And Morven said “It were better to TRUST this +man than to BLIND, for surely I want a helpmate +and a friend.” + +<P> + + So he said to the wise man as he sat alone watching +the setting sun: + +<P> + + “It seemeth to me, O Darvan! I that we ought to +build a great pile in honor of the stars and the +pile should be more glorious than all the palaces of +the chiefs and the palaces of the king; for are not +the stars our masters? + +<P> + + “And thou and I should be the chief dwellers in +this new palace, and we would serve the gods of +night, and fatten their altars with the choicest of +the herd, and the freshest of the fruits of the earth.” + +<P> + + And Darvan said: + +<P> + + “thou speakest as becomes the servant of the +stars. But will the people help to build the pile, +for they are a war-like race and they love not toil?” + +<P> + + And Morven answered: + +<P> + + “<i>Doubtless the stars will ordain the work to be +done. Fear not</i>.” + +<P> + + “In truth thou art a wondrous man, thy words +ever come to pass, answered Darvan; “and I +wish thou wouldest teach me, friend, the language +of the stars.” + +<P> + + “Assuredly if thou servest me thou shalt know,” +answered the proud Morven; and Darvan was +secretly wroth that the son of the herdsman should +command the service of an elder and a chief. +<P> + And when Morven returned to his wife he found +her weeping much. + +<P> + + Now she loved the son of Osslah with an exceeding +love, for he was not savage and fierce as the men +she had known, and she was proud of his fame among +the tribe; and he took her in his arms and kissed +her, and asked her why she wept. + +<P> + + Then she told him that her brother, the king, had +visited her and had spoken bitter words of Morven. + +<P> + + “He taketh from me the affection of my people,” +said Siror, “and blindeth them with lies. And +since he hath made me king, what if he take my +kingdom from me? Verily, a new tale of the stars +might undo the old.” + +<P> + + And the king had ordered her to keep watch on +Morven’s secrecy, and to see whether truth was in +him when he boasted of his commune with the +Powers of Night. + +<P> + + But Orna loved Morven better than Siror, therefore +she told her husband all. + +<P> + + And Morven resented the king’s ingratitude, +and was troubled much, for a king is a powerful +foe; but tie comforted Orna, and bade her dissemble +and complain also of him to her brother, so that he +might confide to her unsuspectingly whatsoever he +might design against Morven. + +<P> + + There was a cave by Morven’s house in which +he kept the sacred hawk, and wherein he secretly +trained and nurtured other birds against future +need, and the door of the cave was always barred. + +<P> + + And one day he was thus engaged when he beheld a +chink in the wall, that he had never noted before, +and the sun came playfully in; and while he looked +he perceived the sunbeam was darkened, and presently +he saw a human face peering in through the chink. + +<P> + + And Morven trembled, for he knew he had been +watched. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 10 --> +<P> + + Morven ran hastily from the cave, but the spy had +disappeared among the trees, and Morven went +straight to the chamber of Darvan and sat himself +down. +<P> + Darvan did not return home till late, and he +started and turned pale when he saw Morven. + +<P> + + But Morven greeted him as a brother, and bade +him to a feast, which, for the first time, he +purposed giving at the full of the moon, in honor +of the stars. + +<P> + + And going out of Darvan’s chamber, he returned +to his wife, and bade her hair, and go at +the dawn of day to the king, her brother, and +complain bitterly of Morven’s treatment, and pluck +the black schemes from the breast of the king. “For +surely,” said he, “Darvan hath lied to thy brother, +and some evil awaits me that I would fain know.” + +<P> + + So the next morning Orna sought the king, +and she said: + +<P> + + “The herdsman’s son hath reviled me, and +spoken harsh words to me; stall I not be +avenged?” + +<P> + + Then the king stamped his feet and shook his +mighty sword. + +<P> + + “Surely thou shalt be avenged, for I have +learned from one of the elders that which convinceth +me that the man hath lied to the people, +and the base-born shall surely die. + +<P> + + “Yea, the first time that he goeth alone into the +forest my brother and I will fall upon him and +smite him to the death.” + +<P> + + And with this comfort Siror dismissed Orna. + +<P> + + And Orna flung herself at the feet of her husband. + +<P> + + “Fly now, O my beloved!—fly into the forests +afar from my brethren, or surely the sword of +Siror will end thy days.” + +<P> + + Then the son of Osslab folded his arms, and +seemed buried in black thoughts; nor did he heed +the voice of Orna, until again and again she had +implored him to fly. + +<P> + + “Fly!” he said at length. “Nay, I was doubting +what punishment the stars should pour down upon our +foe. Let warriors fly. Morven, the prophet, conquers +by arms mightier than the sword.” + +<P> + Nevertheless Morven was perplexed in his +mind, and knew not how to save himself from the +vengeance of the king. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 10 --> +<P> + Now, while Morven was musing hopelessly, he heard +a roar of waters; and behold the river, for it was +now the end of autumn, had burst its bounds, and +was rushing along the valley to the houses of the +city. + +<P> + + And now the men of the tribe, and the women, +and the children, came running, and with shrieks +to Morven’s house, crying: + +<P> + + “Behold the river has burst upon us!—Save us, +O ruler of the stars!” + +<P> + + Then the sudden thought broke upon Morven +and he resolved to risk his fate upon one desperate +scheme. + +<P> + + And he came out from the house calm and sad, +and he said: + +<P> + + “Ye know not what ye ask; I cannot save ye +from this peril: ye have brought it on yourselves.” + +<P> + + And they cried: “How? O son of Osslah—we +are ignorant of our crime.” + +<P> + + And he answered: + +<P> + + “Go down to the king’s palace and wait before +it, and surely I will follow ye, and ye shall learn +wherefore ye have incurred this punishment from +the gods.” + +<P> + + Then the crowd rolled murmuring back, as a +receding sea; and when it was gone from the +place, Morven went alone to the house of Darvan, +which was next his own: and Darvan was greatly +terrified, for he was of a great age, and had no +children, neither friends, and he feared that he +could not of himself escape the waters. + +<P> + + And Morven said to him, soothingly: + +<P> + + “Lo, the people love me, and I will see that +thou art saved for verily thou hast been friendly +to me, and done me much service with the king.” + +<P> + + And as he thus spake, Morven opened the door +of the house and looked forth, and saw that they +were quite alone; then he seized the old man by +the throat, and ceased not his grip till he was +quite dead. + +<P> + + And leaving the body of the elder on the floor, +Morven, stole from the house and shut the gate. + +<P> + + And as he was going to his cave he mused a +little while, when, hearing the mighty roar of the +waves advancing, and afar off the shrieks of +women, he lifted up his head, and said proudly: + +<P> + + “No! in this hour terror alone shall be my +slave; I will use no art save the power of my soul.” + +<P> + + So, leaning on his pine staff, he strode down to +the palace. + +<P> + + And it was now evening, and many of the men +held torches, that they might see each other’s faces +in the universal fear. + +<P> + + Red flashed the quivering flames on the dark +robes and pale front of Morven; and he seemed +mightier than the rest, because his face alone was +calm amidst the tumult. + +<P> + + And louder and hoarser came the roar of the +waters; and swift rusted the shades of night over +the hastening tide. + +<P> + + And Morven said in a stern voice: + +<P> + + “Where is the king; and wherefore is he absent +from his people in the hour of dread?” + +<P> + + Then the gate of the palace opened; and, behold +Siror was sitting in the hall by the vast pine-fire +and his brother by his side, and his chiefs around +him: for they would not deign to come amongst the +crowd at the bidding of the herdsman’s son. + +<P> + + Then Morven, standing upon a rock above the +heads of the people (the same rack whereon he +had proclaimed the king), thus spake: + +<P> + + “Ye desired to know, O sons of Oestrich! +wherefore the river hath burst its bounds, and the +peril hath come upon you. + +<P> + + “Learn then, that the stars resent as the foulest +of human crimes an insult to their servants and +delegates below. + +<P> + + “Ye are all aware of the manner of life of +Morven, whom ye have surnamed the Prophet! + +<P> + + “He harms not man or beast; he lives alone; +and, far from the wild joys of the warrior tribe, he +worships in awe and fear the Powers of Night! + +<P> + + “So is he able to advise ye of the coming +danger—so is he able to save ye from the foe. +Thus are your huntsmen swift and your warriors +bold; and thus do your cattle bring forth their +young, and the earth its fruits. + +<P> + + “What think ye, and what do ye ask to hear? + +<P> + + “Listen, men of Oestrich!—they have laid +snares for my life; and there are amongst you +those who have whetted the sword against the +bosom that is only filled with love for you. + +<P> + + “Therefore have the stern lords of heaven +loosened the chains of the river—therefore doth +this evil menace ye. + +<P> + + “Neither will it pass away until they who dig +the pit for the servant of the stars are buried in +the same.” + +<P> + + Then, by the red torches, the faces of the men +looked fierce and threatening; and ten thousand +voices shouted forth: + +<P> + + “Name them who conspired against thy life, O +holy prophet! and surely they shall be torn limb +from limb.” + +<P> + + And Morven turned aside, and they saw that he +wept bitterly; and he said: + +<P> + + “Ye have asked me, and I have answered: but +now scarce will ye believe the foe that I have +provoked against me; and by the heavens themselves I +swear, that if my death would satisfy their fury, +nor bring down upon yourselves, and your children’s +children, the anger of the throned stars, gladly +would I give my bosom to the knife. Yes,” he cried, +lifting up his voice, and pointing his shadowy arm +towards the hall where the king sat by the +pine-fire—”yes, thou whom by my voice the stars +chose above thy brother—yes, Siror, the guilty one! +take thy sword, and come hither—strike, if thou +hast the heart to strike, the Prophet of the Gods!” + +<P> + + The king started to his feet, and the crowd were +hushed in a shuddering silence. + +<P> + + Morven resumed: + +<P> + + “Know then, O men of Oestrich, that Siror and +Voltoch, his brother, and Darvan, the elder of the +wise men, have purposed to slay your prophet, +even at such hour as when alone he seeks the +shade of the forest to devise new benefits for you. +Let the king deny it, if he can!” + +<P> + + Then Voltoch, of the giant limbs, strode forth +from the hall, and his spear quivered in his hand. + +<P> + + “Rightly hast thou spoken, base son of my +father’s herdsman! and for thy sins shalt thou +surely die; for thou liest when thou speakest of +thy power with the stars, and thou laughest at the +folly of them who hear thee: wherefore put him to +death.” + +<P> + + Then the chiefs in the hall clashed their arms, +and rushed forth to slay the son of Osslah. + +<P> + + But he, stretching his unarmed hands on high, +exclaimed: + +<P> + + “Hear him, O dread ones of the night—hark +how he blasphemeth.” + +<P> + + Then the crowd took up the word, and cried: + +<P> + + “He blasphemeth—he blasphemeth against the +prophet!” + +<P> + + But the king and the chiefs who hated Morven, +because of his power with the people, rushed into +the crowd; and the crowd were irresolute, nor +knew they how to act, for never yet had they +rebelled against their chiefs, and they feared alike +the prophet and the king. + +<P> + + And Siror cried: + +<P> + + “Summon Darvan to us, for he bath watched +the steps of Morven, and he shall lift the veil from +my people’s eyes.” + +<P> + + Then three of the swift of foot started forth to +the house of Darvan. + +<P> + + And Morven cried out with a loud voice: + +<P> + + “Hark! thus saith the star who, now riding +through yonder cloud breaks forth upon my eyes—‘For +the lie that the elder hath uttered against +my servant, the curse of the stars shall fall upon +him.’ Seek, and as ye find him, so may ye find +ever the foes of Morven and the gods.” + +<P> + + A chill and an icy fear fell over the crowd, and +even the cheek of Siror grew pale; and Morven, +erect and dark above the waving torches, stood +motionless with folded arms. + +<P> + + And hark—far and fast came on the war-steeds +of the wave—the people heard them marching to +the land, and tossing their white manes in the +roaring wind. + +<P> + + “Lo, as ye listen,” said Morven, calmly, “the +river sweeps on. Haste, for the gods will have a +victim, be it your prophet or your king.” + +<P> + + “Slave!” shouted Siror, and his spear left his +hand, and far above the heads of the crowd sped +hissing beside the dark form of Morven, and rent +the trunk of the oak behind. + +<P> + + Then the people, wroth at the danger of their +beloved seer, uttered a wild yell, and gathered +round him with brandished swords, facing their +chieftains and their king. + +<P> + + But at that instant, ere the war had broken forth +among the tribe, the three warriors returned, and +they bore Darvan on their shoulders, and laid him +at the feet of the king, and they said tremblingly: + +<P> + + “Thus found we the elder in the centre of his +own hall.” + +<P> + + And the people saw that Darvan was a corpse, +and that the prediction of Morven was thus verified. + +<P> + + “So perish the enemies of Morven and the +Stars!” cried the son of Osslah. And the people +echoed the cry. + +<P> + + Then the fury of Siror was at its height, and +waving his sword above his head, he plunged into +the crowd: + +<P> + + “Thy blood, base-born, or mine.” + +<P> + + “So be it!” answered Morven, quailing not. +“People, smite the blasphemer. Hark how the +river pours down upon your children and your +hearths. On, on, or ye perish!” + +<P> + + And Siror fell, pierced by five hundred spears. + +<P> + + “Smite! smite!” cried Morven, as the chiefs of +the royal house gathered round the king. + +<P> + + And the clash of swords, and the gleam of +spears, and the cries of the dying, and the yell of +the trampling people, mingled with the roar of the +elements, and the voices of the rushing wave. + +<P> + + Three hundred of the chiefs perished that night +by the swords of their own tribe. And the last +cry of the victors was, “<i>Morven the prophet</i>—MORVEN THE +KING!” + +<P> + + And the son of Osslah, seeing the waves now +spreading over the valley, led Orna his wife, and +the men of Oestrich, their women and their children, +to a high mount, where they waited the dawning sun. + +<P> + + But Orna sat apart and wept bitterly, for her +brothers were no more, and her race had perished +from the earth. + +<P> + + And Morven sought to comfort her in vain. + +<P> + + When the morning rose, they saw that the river +had overspread the greater part of the city, and +now stayed its course among the hollows of the +vale. + +<P> + + Then Morven said to the people: “The star kings +are avenged, and their wrath appeased. Tarry only +here until the water have melted into the crevices +of the soil.” + +<P> + + And on the fourth day they returned to the +city, and no man dared to name another, save +Morven, as the king. + +<!-- THE FALLEN STAR: Part 10 --> +<P> + But Morven retired into his cave and mused +deeply; and then assembling the people, he gave +them new laws; and he made them build a mighty +temple in honor of the stars, and made them heap +within it all that the tribe held most precious. + +<P> + + And he took unto him fifty children from the +most famous of the tribe; and he took also ten +from among the men who had served him best, +and he ordained that they should serve the stars +in the great temple: and Morven was their chief. + +<P> + + And he put away the crown they pressed upon +him, and he chose from among the elders a new +king. + +<P> + + And he ordained that henceforth the servants +only of the stars in the great temple should elect +the king and the rulers, and hold council, and +proclaim war: but he suffered the king to feast, +and to hunt, and to make merry in the banquet halls. + +<P> + + And Morven built altars in the temple, and was +the first who, in the North, <i>sacrificed the beast and +the bird, and afterwards human flesh</i>, upon the +altars. + +<P> + + And he drew auguries from the entrails of the +victim, and made schools for the science of the +prophet; and Morven’s piety was the wonder of +the tribe, in that he refused to be a king. + +<P> + + And Morven, the high-priest, was <i>ten thousand +times mightier than the king</i>. + +<P> + + He taught the people to till the ground, and to +sow the herb; and by his wisdom, and the valor +that his prophecies instilled into men, he conquered +all the neighboring tribes. + +<P> + + And the sons of Oestrich spread themselves over +a mighty empire, and with them spread the name +and the laws of Morven. + +<P> + + And in every province which he conquered, he +ordered them to build a temple to the stars. + +<P> + + But a heavy sorrow fell upon the years of +Morven. + +<P> + + The sister of Siror bowed down her head and +survived not long the slaughter of her race. + +<P> + + And she left Morven childless. + +<P> + + And he mourned bitterly and as one distraught, +for her only in the world had his heart the power +to love. + +<P> + + And he sat down and covered his face, saying: + +<P> + + “Lo: I have conquered and travailed; and +never before in the world did man conquer what I +have conquered. + +<P> + + “Verily, the empire of the iron thews and the +giant limbs is no more; I have found a new power, +that henceforth shall sway the lands;—<i>the empire +of plotting brain and a commanding mind</i>. + +<P> + + “But, behold, my fate is barren, and I feel already +that it will grow neither fruit nor tree as a +shelter to mine old age. + +<P> + + “Desolate and lonely shall I pass away unto +my grave. + +<P> + + “O Orna! my beautiful! my loved! none were +like unto thee, and to thy love do I owe my glory +and my life. + +<P> + + “Would for thy sake, O sweet bird! that nestled +in the dark cavern of my heart—would for thy +sake that thy brethren had been spared, for verily +with my life would I have purchased thine. + +<P> + + “Alas! only when I lost thee did I find that thy +love was dearer to me than the fear of others.” + +<P> + + And Morven mourned night and day, and none +might comfort him. + +<P> + + But from that time forth he gave himself solely +to the cares of his calling; and his nature and +his affections, and whatever there was left soft in +him, grew hard like stone; and he was a man +without love, <i>and he forbade love and marriage to +the priest</i>. + +<P> + + Now, in his latter years, there arose OTHER +prophets; for the world had grown wiser even by +Morven’s wisdom, and some did say unto themselves: + +<P> + + “Behold Morven, the herdsman’s son, is a king +of kings: this did the stars for their servant; +shall we not, therefore, be also servants to the +star?” + +<P> + + And they wore black garments like Morven, and +went about prophesying of what the stars foretold +them. + +<P> + + And Morven was exceeding wroth; for he, more +than other men, knew that the prophets lied; +wherefore he went forth against them with the +ministers of the temple, and he took them and +burned them by a slow fire: for thus said Morven +to the people: + +<P> + + “<i>A true prophet hath honor, but I only am a true prophet!</i>” + +<P> + + “To all false prophets there shall be surely death.” + +<P> + + And the people applauded the piety of the son +of Osslah. + +<P> + + And Morven educated the wisest of the children +in the mysteries of the temple, so that they grew +up to succeed him worthily. + +<P> + + And he died full of years and honor; and they +carved his effigy on a mighty stone before the +temple, and the effigy endured for a thousand ages, +and whoso looked on it trembled; for the face was +calm with the calmness of unspeakable awe! + +<P> + + And Morven was the first mortal of the North +that made <i>Religion the stepping stone to Power</i>. + +<P> + + Of a surety Morven was a great man! + +<!-- Conclusion --> +<BR><BR><BR> +<CENTER><H3>CONCLUSION</H3></CENTER> +<P>It was the last night of the old year, and the +stars sat, each upon his ruby throne, and +watched with sleepless eyes upon the world. The +night was dark and troubled, the dread winds +were abroad, and fast and frequent hurried the +clouds beneath the thrones of the kings of night. +But ever and anon fiery meteors flashed along +the depths of heaven, and were again swallowed +up in the graves of darkness. + +<P>And far below his brethren, and with a lurid +haze around his orb, sat the discontented star that +had watched over the hunters of the North. +And on the lowest abyss of space there was +spread a thick and mighty gloom, from which, as +from a caldron, rose columns of wreathing smoke; +and still, when the great winds rested for an instant +on their paths, voices of woe and laughter, +mingled with shrieks, were heard booming from +the abyss to the upper air. + +<P>And now, in the middest night, a vast figure +rose slowly from the abyss, and its wings threw +blackness over the world. High upward to the +throne of the discontented star sailed the fearful +shape, and the star trembled on his throne when +the form stood before him face to face. And the +shape said: “Hail, brother!—all hail!” + +<P>“I know thee not,” answered the star: “thou art +not the archangel that visitests the kings of night.” + +<P>And the shape laughed loud. “I am the fallen +star of the morning.—I am Lucifer, thy brother. +Hast thou not, O sullen king, served me and +mine? and hast thou not wrested the earth from +thy Lord who sittest above and given it to me by +<i>darkening the souls of men with the religion of fear?</i> +Wherefore come, brother, come;—thou hast a +throne prepared beside my own in the fiery gloom. +Come.—The heavens are no more for thee.” Then +the star rose from his throne, and descended to +the side of Lucifer. For ever hath the spirit of +discontent had sympathy with the soul of pride. + +<P>And slowly they sank down to the gulf of gloom. +It was the first night of the new year, and the +stars sat each on his ruby throne, and watched +with sleepless eyes upon the world. But sorrow +dimmed the bright faces of the kings of night, for +they mourned in silence and in fear for a fallen +brother. + +<P>And the gates of the heaven of heavens flew +open with a golden sound, and the swift archangel +fled down on his silent wings; and the archangel +gave to each of the stars, as before, the message of +his Lord; and to each star was his appointed +charge. + +<P>And when the heraldry seemed done, there came +a laugh from the abyss of gloom, and half way from +the gulf rose the lurid shape of Lucifer, the fiend. + +<P>“Thou countest thy flock ill, O radiant shepherd. +Behold! one star is missing from the three +thousand and ten.” + +<P>“Back to thy gulf, false Lucifer!—the throne +of thy brother hath been filled.” + +<P>And lo! as the archangel spake, the stars beheld +a young and all lustrous stranger on the +throne of the erring star; and his face was so soft +to look upon, that the dimmest of human eyes +might have gazed upon its splendor unabashed; +but the dark fiend alone was dazzled by its lustre, +and, with a yell that shook the flaming pillars of +the universe, he plunged backwards into the gloom. + +<P>Then, far and sweet from the arch unseen, came +forth the voice of God: + +<P>“Behold! <i>on the throne of the discontented star +sits the star of hope; and he that breathed into mankind +the Religion of Fear hath a successor in him +who shall teach earth the Religion of Love.</i>” + +<P>And evermore the Star of Fear dwells with Lucifer, +and the Star of Love keeps vigil in heaven. + +<BR><BR> +<HR> +<BR><BR> +<CENTER><H1>ON THE ORIGIN OF EVIL.</H1></CENTER> +<CENTER><H2>BY LORD BROUGHAM.</H2></CENTER> +<BR><BR> +<CENTER><H1>DISSERTATION ON THE ORIGIN OF EVIL.</H1></CENTER> +<HR width=70 align=center> + +<P>The question which has more than, any other +harassed metaphysical reasoners, but especially +theologians, and upon which it is probable +that no very satisfactory conclusion will ever be +reached by the human faculties, is the Origin and +Sufferance of Evil. + +<P>Its existence being always assumed, philosophers +have formed various theories for explaining +it, but they have always drawn very different inferences from it. + +<P>The ancient Epicureans argued against the existence +of the Deity, because they held that the +existence of Evil either proved him to be limited +in power or of a malignant nature; either of which +imperfections is inconsistent with the first notions +of a divine being. + +<P>In this kind of reasoning they have been followed +both by the atheists and sceptics of later +times. + +<P>Bayle regarded the subject of evil as one of the +great arsenals from whence his weapons were to +be chiefly drawn. None of the articles in his +<!-- Page 62 --> +famous Dictionary are more labored than those in +which he treats of this subject. <i>Monichian</i>, and +still more <i>Paulician</i>, almost assume the appearance +of formal treatises upon the question; and both +<i>Marchionite</i> and <i>Zoroaster</i> treat of the same subject. +All these articles are of considerable value; +they contain the greater part of the learning upon +the question; and they are distinguished by the +acuteness of reasoning which was the other characteristic +of their celebrated author. + +<P>Those ancient philosophers who did not agree +with Epicurus in arguing from the existence of +evil against the existence of a providence that +superintended and influenced the destinies of the +world, were put to no little difficulty in accounting +for the fact which they did not deny, and yet +maintaining the power of a divine ruler. The +doctrine of a double principle, or of two divine beings +of opposite natures, one beneficent, the other +mischievous, was the solution which one class of +reasoners deemed satisfactory, and to which they +held themselves driven by the phenomena of the +universe. + +<P>Others unable to deny, the existence of things +which men denominate evil, both physical and +moral, explain them in a different way. They +maintained that physical evil only obtains the +name from our imperfect and vicious or feeble dispositions; +that to a wise man there is no such +<!-- Page 63 --> +thing; that we may rise superior to all such +groveling notions as make us dread or repine at +any events which can befall the body; that pain, +sickness, loss of fortune or of reputation, exile, +death itself, are only accounted ills by a weak and +pampered mind; that if we find the world tiresome, +or woeful, or displeasing, we may at any +moment quit it; and that therefore we have no +right whatever to call any suffering connected +with existence on earth an evil, because almost all +sufferings can be borne by a patient and firm +mind; since if the situation we are placed in becomes +either intolerable, or upon the whole more +painful than agreeable, it is our own fault that we +remain in it. + +<P>But these philosophers took a further view of +the question which especially applied to moral +evil. They considered that nothing could be more +groundless than to suppose that if there were no +evil there could be any good in the world; and +they illustrated this position by asking how we +could know anything of temperance, fortitude or +justice, unless there were such things as excess, +cowardice and injustice. + +<P>These were the doctrines of the Stoics, from +whose sublime and impracticable philosophy they +seemed naturally enough to flow. Aulus Gellius +relates that the last-mentioned argument was expounded +by Chrysippus, in his work upon providence. +<!-- Page 64 --> +The answer given by Plutarch seems quite +sufficient: “As well might you say that Achilles +could not have a fine head of hair unless Thersites +had been bald; or that one man's limbs could not +be all sound if another had not the gout.” + +<P>In truth, the Stoical doctrine proceeds upon the +assumption that all virtue is only the negative of +vice; and is as absurd, if indeed it be not the very +same absurdity, as the doctrine which should deny +the existence of affirmative or positive truths, resolving +them all into the opposite of negative +propositions. Indeed, if we even were to admit +this as an abstract position, the actual existence of +evil would still be unnecessary to the idea, and +still more to the existence, of good. For the conception +of evil, the bare idea of its possibility, +would be quite sufficient, and there would be no +occasion for a single example of it. + +<P>The other doctrine, that of two opposite principles, +was embraced by most of the other sects, as +it should seem, at some period or other of their +inquiries. Plato himself, in his later works, was +clearly a supporter of the system; for he held that +there were at least two principles, a good and an +evil; to which he added a third, the moderator or +mediator between them. + +<P>Whether this doctrine was, like many others, +imported into Greece from the East, or was the +natural growth of the schools, we cannot ascertain. +<!-- Page 65 --> +Certain it is that the Greeks themselves believed +it to have been taught by Zoroaster in Asia, at +least five centuries before the Trojan war; so that +it had an existence there long before the name of +philosophy was known in the western world. + +<P>Zoroaster's doctrine agreed in every respect with +Plato's; for besides Oomazes, the good, and Arimanius, +the evil principle, he taught that there +was a third, or mediatory one, called Mithras. +That it never became any part of the popular belief +in Greece or Italy is quite clear. All the +polytheism of those countries recognized each of +the gods as authors alike of good and evil. Nor +did even the chief of the divinities, under whose +power the rest were placed, offer any exception to +the general rule; for Jupiter not only gave good +from one urn and ill from another, but he was +also, according to the barbarous mythology of +classical antiquity, himself a model at once of +human perfections and of human vices. + +<P>After the light of the Christian religion had +made some way toward supplanting the ancient +polytheism, the doctrine of two principles was +broached; first by Marcion, who lived in the time +of Adrian and Antonius Pius, early in the second +century; and next by Manes, a hundred years +later. He was a Persian slave, who was brought +into Greece, where he taught this doctrine, since +known by his name, having learned it, as is said, +<!-- Page 66 --> +from Scythianus, an Arabian. The Manichean +doctrines, afterwards called also Paulician, from a +great teacher of them in the seventh century, were +like almost all the heresies in the primitive church, +soon mixed up with gross impurities of sacred +rites as well as extravagant absurdities of creed. + +<P>The Manicheans were, probably as much on +this account as from the spirit of religious intolerance, +early the objects of severe persecution; +and the Code of Justinian itself denounces capital +punishment against any of the sect, if found within +the Roman dominions. + +<P>It must be confessed that the theory of two +principles, when kept free from the absurdities +and impurities which were introduced into the +Manichean doctrine, is not unnaturally adopted by +men who have no aid from the light of revelation,<A NAME="S1" HREF="#R1"><FONT +SIZE=-1><SUP>1</SUP></FONT></A> +and who are confounded by the appearance of a +world where evil and good are mixed together, or +seem to struggle with one another, sometimes the +one prevailing, and sometimes the other; and accordingly, +in all countries, in the most barbarous +nations, as well as among the most refined, we +find plain traces of reflecting men having been +driven to this solution of the difficulty. + +<P>It seems upon a superficial view to be very +easily deducible from the phenomena; and as the +<! -- Page 67 --> +idea of infinite power, with which it is manifestly +inconsistent, does by no means so naturally present +itself to the mind, as long as only a very great +degree of power, a power which in comparison of +all human force may be termed infinite, is the attribute +with which the Deity is believed to be endued. +Manichean hypothesis is by no means so +easily refuted. That the power of the Deity was +supposed to have limits even in the systems of the +most enlightened heathens is unquestionable. +They, generally speaking, believed in the eternity +of matter, and conceived some of its qualities to be +so essentially necessary to its existence that no +divine agency could alter them. They ascribed +to the Deity a plastic power, a power not of creating +or annihilating, but only of moulding, disposing +and moving matter. So over mind they +generally give him the like power, considering it +as a kind of emanation from his own greater mind +or essence, and destined to be re-united with him +hereafter. Nay, over all the gods, and of superior +potency to any, they conceived fate to preside; an +overruling and paramount necessity, of which +they formed some dark conceptions, and to which +the chief of all the gods was supposed to submit. +It is, indeed, extremely difficult to state precisely +what the philosophic theory of theology was in +Greece and Rome, because the wide difference +between the esoteric and exoteric doctrines, between +<!-- Page 68 --> +the belief of the learned few and the popular +superstition, makes it very difficult to avoid +confounding the two, and lending to the former +some of the grosser errors with which the latter +abounded. Nevertheless, we may rely upon what +has been just stated, as conveying, generally +speaking, the opinion of philosophers, although +some sects certainly had a still more scanty +measure of belief. + +<P>But we shall presently find that in the speculation +of the much more enlightened moderns, Christians +of course, errors of a like kind are to be +traced. They constantly argue the great question +of evil upon a latent assumption, that the power of +the Deity is restricted by some powers or qualities +inherent in matter; notions analogous to that of +faith are occasionally perceptible; not stated or +expanded indeed into propositions, but influencing +the course of the reasoning; while the belief of +infinite attributes is never kept steadily in view, +except when it is called in as requisite to refute +the Manichean doctrines. Some observers of the +controversy have indeed not scrupled to affirm +that those of whom we speak are really Manicheans +without knowing it; and build their systems +upon assumptions secretly borrowed from the +disciples of Zoroaster, without ever stating those +assumptions openly in the form of postulates or +definition. +<!-- Page 69 --> +<P>The refutation of the Manichean hypothesis is +extremely easy if we be permitted to assume that +both the principles which it supposes are either of +infinite power or of equal power. If they are of +infinite power, the supposition of their co-existence +involves a contradiction in terms; for the one +being in opposition to the other, the power of each +must be something taken from that of the other; +consequently neither can be of infinite power. If, +again, we only suppose both to be of equal power, +and always acting against each other, there could +be nothing whatever done, neither good or evil; +the universe would be at a standstill; or rather no +act of creation could ever have been performed, +and no existence could be conceived beyond that +of the two antagonistic principles. + +<P>Archbishop Tillotson's argument, properly +speaking, amounts to this last proposition, and is +applicable to equal and opposite principles, although +he applies it to two beings, both infinitely +powerful and counteracting one another. When +he says they would tie up each other's bands, he +might apply this argument to such antagonistic +principles if only equal, although not infinitely +powerful. The hypothesis of their being both infinitely +powerful needs no such refutation; it is a +contradiction in terms. But it must be recollected +that the advocates of the Manichean doctrine endeavor +to guard themselves against the attack by +<!-- Page 70 --> +contending, that the conflict between the two +principles ends in a kind of compromise, so that +neither has it all his own way; there is a mixture +of evil admitted by the good principle, because +else the whole would beat a standstill; while there +is much good admitted by the evil principle, else +nothing, either good or evil, would be done. Another +answer is therefore required to this theory +than what Tillotson and his followers have given. + +<P><i>First</i>, we must observe that this reasoning of +the Manicheans proceeds upon the analogy of what +we see in mortal contentions; where neither party +having the power to defeat the other, each is content +to yield a little to his adversary, and so, by +mutual concession, both are successful to some +extent, and both to some extent disappointed. +But in a speculation concerning the nature of the +Deity, there seems no place for such notions. + +<P><i>Secondly</i>, the equality of power is not an arbitrary +assumption; it seems to follow from the existence +of the two opposing principles. For if they +are independent of one another as to existence, +which they must needs be, else one would immediately +destroy the other, so must they also, in +each particular instance, be independent of each +other, and also equal each to the other, else one +would have the mastery, and the influence of the +other could not be perceived. To say that in some +things the good principle prevails and in others +<!-- Page 71 --> +the evil, is really saying nothing more than that +good exists here and evil there. It does not +further the argument one step, nor give anything +like an explanation. For it must always be borne +in mind that the whole question respecting the +Origin of Evil proceeds upon the assumption of a +wise, benevolent and powerful Being having created +the world. The difficulty, and the only difficulty, +is, how to reconcile existing evil with such +a Being's attributes; and if the Manichean only +explains this by saying the good Being did what +is good, and another and evil Being did what is +bad in the universe, he really tells us nothing +more than the fact; he does not apply his explanation +to the difficulty; and he supposes the existence +of a second Deity gratuitously and to no kind +of purpose. + +<P>But, <i>thirdly</i>, in whatever light we view the +hypothesis, it seems exposed to a similar objection, +namely, of explaining nothing in its application, +while it is wholly gratuitous in itself. It +assumes, of course, that creation was the act of +the good Being; and it also assumes that Being's +goodness to have been perfect, though his power +is limited. Then as he must have known the existence +of the evil principle and foreseen the certainty +of misery being occasioned by his existence, +why did he voluntarily create sentient beings, to +put them, in some respects at least, under the evil +<!-- Page 72 --> +one's power, and thus be exposed to suffering? +The good Being, according to this theory, is the +remote cause of the evil which is endured, because +but for his act of creation the evil Being could +have had, no subjects whereon to work mischief; +so that the hypothesis wholly fails in removing, +by more than one step, the difficulty which it was +invented to solve. + +<P><i>Fourthly</i>, there is no advantage gained to the +argument by supposing two Beings, rather than +one Being of a mixed nature. The facts lead to +this supposition just as naturally as to the hypothesis +of two principles. The existence of the evil +Being is as much a detraction from the power of +the good one, as if we only at once suppose the +latter to be of limited power, and that he prefers +making and supporting creatures who suffer much +less than they enjoy, to making no creatures at +all. The supposition that he made them as happy +as he could, and that not being able to make them +less miserable, he yet perceived that upon the +whole their existence would occasion more happiness +than if they never had any being at all, will +just account for the phenomena as well as the +Manichean theory, and will as little as that theory +assume any malevolence in the power which created +and preserved the universe. If, however, it +be objected that this hypothesis leaves unexplained +the fetters upon the good Being's power, +<!-- Page 73 --> +the answer is obvious; it leaves those fetters not +at all less explained than the Manichean theory +does; for that theory gives no explanation of the +existence of a counteracting principle, and it assumes +both an antagonistic power, to limit the +Deity's power, and a malevolent principle to set +the antagonistic power in motion; whereas our +supposition assumes no malevolence at all, but +only a restraint upon the divine power. + +<P><i>Fifthly</i>, this leads us to another and most formidable +objection. To conceive the eternal existence +of one Being infinite in power, “self-created +and creating all others,” is by no means impossible. +Indeed, as everything must have had a cause, +nothing we see being by possibility self-created, +we naturally mount from particulars to generals, +until finally we rise to the idea of a first cause, +uncreated, and self-existing, and eternal. If the +phenomena compels us to affix limits to his goodness, +we find it impossible to conceive limits to the +power of a creative, eternal, self-existing principle. +But even supposing we could form the conception +of such a Being having his power limited as well +as his goodness, still we can conceive no second +Being independent of him. This would necessarily +lead to the supposition of some third Being, +above and antecedent to both, and the creator of +both—the real first cause—and then the whole +question would be to solve over again,—Why +<!-- Page 74 --> +these two antagonistic Beings were suffered to exist +by the great Being of all? + +<P>The Manichean doctrine, then, is exposed to +every objection to which a theory can be obnoxious. +It is gratuitous; it is inapplicable to the +facts; it supposes more causes than are necessary; +it fails to explain the phenomena, leaving the +difficulties exactly where it found them. Nevertheless, +such is the theory, how easily soever refuted +when openly avowed and explicitly stated, +which in various disguises appears to pervade the +explanations, given of the facts by most of the +other systems; nay, to form, secretly and unacknowledged, +their principal ground-work. For it +really makes very little difference in the matter +whether we are to account for evil by holding that +the Deity has created as much happiness as was +consistent with “the nature of things,” and has +taken every means of avoiding all evil except +“where it necessarily existed” or at once give +those limiting influences a separate and independent +existence, and call them by a name of their +own, which is the Manichean hypothesis. + +<P>The most remarkable argument on this subject, +and the most distinguished both for its clear and +well ordered statement, and for the systematic +shape which it assumes, is that of Archbishop +King. It is the great text-book of those who study +this subject; and like the famous legal work of +<!-- Page 75 --> +Littleton, it has found an expounder yet abler and +more learned than the author himself. Bishop +Law's commentary is full of information, of reasoning +and of explication; nor can we easily find +anything valuable upon the subject which is not +contained in the volumes of that work. It will, +however, only require a slight examination of the +doctrines maintained by these learned and pious +men, to satisfy us that they all along either assume +the thing to be proved, or proceed upon suppositions +quite inconsistent with the infinite power +of the Deity—the only position which raises a +question, and which makes the difficulty that requires +to be solved. + +<P>According to all the systems as well as this one, +evil is of two kinds—physical and moral. To the +former class belong all the sufferings to which +sentient beings are exposed from the qualities and +affections of matter independent of their own acts; +the latter class consists of the sufferings of whatever +kind which arise from their own conduct. +This division of the subject, however, is liable to +one serious objection; it comprehends under the +second head a class of evils which ought more +properly to be ranged under the first. Nor is this +a mere question of classification: it affects the +whole scope of the argument. The second of the +above-mentioned classes comprehends both the +physical evils which human agency causes, but +<!-- Page 76 --> +which it would have no power to cause unless the +qualities of matter were such as to produce pain, +privation and death; and also the moral evil of +guilt which may possibly exist independent of +material agency, but which, whether independent +or not upon that physical action, is quite separable +from it, residing wholly in the mind. Thus a +person who destroys the life of another produces +physical evil by means of the constitution of matter, +and moral evil is the source of his wicked +action. The true arrangement then is this: Physical +evil is that which depends on the constitution +of matter, or only is so far connected with the +constitution of mind as that the nature and existence +of a sentient being must be assumed in order +to its mischief being felt. And this physical evil +is of two kinds; that which originates in human +action, and that which is independent of human +action, befalling us from the unalterable course of +nature. Of the former class are the pains, privations +and destruction inflicted by men one upon +another; of the latter class are diseases, old age +and death. Moral evil consists in the crimes, +whether of commission or omission, which men are +guilty of—including under the latter head those +sufferings which we endure from ill-regulated +minds through want of fortitude or self-control. +It is clear that as far as the question of the origin +of evil is concerned, the first of these two classes, +<!-- Page 77 --> +physical evil, depends upon the properties of matter, +and the last upon those of mind. The second +as well as the first subdivision of the physical +class depends upon matter; because, however ill-disposed +the agent's mind may be, he could inflict +the mischief only in consequence of the constitution +of matter. Therefore, the Being, who created +matter enabled him to perpetrate the evil, even +admitting that this Being did not, by creating the +mind also give rise to the evil disposition; and +admitting that, as far as regards this disposition it +has the same origin with the evil of the second +class, or moral evil, the acts of a rational agent. + +<P>It is quite true that many reasoners refuse to +allow any distinction between the evil produced +by natural causes and the evils caused by rational +agents, whether as regards their own guilt, or the +mischief it caused to others. Those reasoners +deny that the creation of man's will and the endowing +it with liberty explains anything; they +hold that the creation of a mind whose will is to +do evil, amounts to the same thing, and belongs +to the same class, with the creation of matter +whose nature is to give pain and misery. But this +position, which involves the doctrine of necessity, +must, at the very least, admit of one modification. +Where no human agency whatever is interposed, +and the calamity comes without any one being to +blame for it, the mischief seems a step, and a +<!-- Page 78 --> +large step, nearer the creative or the superintending +cause, because it is, as far as men go, altogether +inevitable. The main tendency of the argument, +therefore, is confined to physical evil; and this +has always been found the most difficult to account +for, that is to reconcile with the government +of a perfectly good and powerful Being. It would +indeed be very easily explained, and the reconcilement +would be readily made, if we were at +liberty to suppose matter independent in its existence, +and in certain qualities, of the divine control; +but this would be to suppose the Deity's +power limited and imperfect, which is just one +horn of the Epicurean dilemma, “<i>Aut vult et non +potest;</i>” and in assuming this, we do not so much +beg the question as wholly give it up and admit +we cannot solve the difficulty. Yet obvious as this +is, we shall presently see that the reasoners who +have undertaken the solution, and especially King +and Law, under such phrases as “the nature of +things,” and “the laws of the material universe,” +have been constantly, through the whole argument, +guilty of this <i>petitio principii</i> (begging the +question), or rather this abandonment of the whole +question, and never more so than at the very moment +when they complacently plumed themselves +upon having overcome the difficulty. + +<P>Having premised these observations for the purpose +of clearing the ground and avoiding confusion +<!-- Page 79 --> +in the argument, we may now consider that Archbishop +King's theory is in both its parts; for there +are in truth two distinct explanations, the one resembling +an argument <i>a priori</i>, the other an argument +<i>a posteriori</i>. It is, however, not a little +remarkable that Bishop Law, in the admirable abstract +or analysis which he gives of the Archbishop's +treatise at the end of his preface, begins +with the second branch, omitting all mention of +the first, as if he considered it to be merely introductory +matter; and yet his fourteenth note (t. +cap. <SPAN CLASS=smallcaps>i.</SPAN> s. 3.) shows that he was aware of its being +an argument wholly independent of the rest of the +reasonings; for he there says that the author had +given one demonstration <i>a priori</i>, and that no +difficulties raised by an examination of the phenomena, +no objection <i>a posteriori</i>, ought to overrule +it, unless these difficulties are equally certain +and clear with the demonstration, and admit of no +solution consistent with that demonstration. + +<P>The necessity of a first cause being shown, and +it being evident that therefore this cause is uncreated +and self-existent, and independent of any +other, the conclusion is next drawn that its power +must be infinite. This is shown by the consideration +that there is no other antecedent cause, and +no other principle which was not created by the +first cause, and consequently which was not of inferior +power; therefore, there is nothing which +<!-- Page 80 --> +can limit the power of the first cause; and there +being no limiter or restrainer, there can be no +limitation or restriction. + +<P>Again, the infinity of the Deity's power is attempted +to be proved in another way. + +<P>The number of possible things is infinite; but +every possibility implies a power to do the possible +thing; and as one possible thing implies a power +to do it, an infinite number of possible things implies +an infinite power. Or as Descartes and his +followers put it, we can have no idea of anything +that has not either an actual or a possible existence; +but we have an idea of a Being of infinite +perfection; therefore, he must actually exist; for +otherwise there would be one perfection wanting, +and so he would not be infinite, which he either is +actually or possibly. It is needless to remark that +this whole argument, whatever may be said of the +former one, is a pure fallacy, and a <i>petitio principii</i> +throughout. The Cartesian form of it is the most +glaringly fallacious, and indeed exposes itself; for +by that reasoning we might prove the existence of +a fiery dragon or any other phantom of the brain. +But even King's more concealed sophism is equally +absurd. What ground is there for saying that +the number of possible things is infinite? He +adds, “at least in power,” which means either +nothing or only that we have the power of conceiving +an infinite number of possibilities. But +<!-- Page 81 --> +because we can conceive or fancy an infinity of +possibilities, does it follow that there actually exists +this infinity? The whole argument is unworthy +of a moment's consideration. The other is +more plausible, that restriction implies a restraining +power. But even this is not satisfactory when +closely examined. For although the first cause +must be self-existent and of eternal duration, we +only are driven by the necessity of supposing a +cause whereon all the argument rests, to suppose +one capable of causing all that actually exists; +and, therefore, to extend this inference and suppose +that the cause is of infinite power seems gratuitous. +Nor is it necessary to suppose another +power limiting its efficacy, if we do not find it +necessary to suppose its own constitution and essence +such as we term infinitely powerful. However, +after noticing this manifest defect in the +fundamental part of the argument, that which infers +infinite power, let us for the present assume +the position to be proved either by these or by any +other reasons, and see if the structure raised upon +it is such as can stand the test of examination. + +<P>Thus, then, an infinitely powerful Being exists, +and he was the creator of the universe; but to incline +him towards the creation there could be no +possible motive of happiness to himself, and he +must, says King, have either sought his own +happiness or that of the universe which he made. +<!-- Page 82 --> +Therefore his own ideas must have been the communication +of happiness to the creature. He +could only desire to exercise his attributes without, +or eternally to himself, which before creating +other beings he could not do. But this could only +gratify his nature, which wants nothing, being +perfect in itself, by communicating his goodness +and providing for the happiness of other sentient +beings created by him for this purpose. Therefore, +says King, “it manifestly follows that the +world is as well as it could be made by infinite +power and goodness; for since the exercise of the +divine power and the communication of his goodness +are the ends, for which the world is formed, +there is no doubt but God has attained these ends.” +And again, “If then anything inconvenient or incommodious +be now, or was from the beginning in +it, that certainly could not be hindered or removed +even by infinite power, wisdom and goodness.” + +<P>Now certainly no one can deny, that if God be +infinitely powerful and also infinitely good, it must +follow that whatever looks like evil, either is not +really evil, or that it is such as infinite power could +not avoid. This is implied in the very terms of +the hypothesis. It may also be admitted that if +the Deity's only object in his dispensation be the +happiness of his creatures, the same conclusion +follows even without assuming his nature to be +infinitely good; for we admit what, for the purpose +<!-- Page 83 --> +of the argument, is the same thing, namely, that +there entered no evil into his design in creating +or maintaining the universe. But all this really +assumes the very thing to be proved. King gets +over the difficulty and reaches his conclusion by +saying, “The Deity could have only one of two +objects—his own happiness or that of his creatures.”—The +skeptic makes answer, “He might +have another object, namely, the misery of his +creatures;” and then the whole question is, +whether or not he had this other object; or, which +is the same thing, whether or not his nature is +perfectly good. It must never be forgotten that +unless evil exists there is nothing to dispute +about—the question falls. The whole difficulty +arises from the admission that evil exists, or what +we call evil, exists. From this we inquire whether +or not the author of it can be perfectly benevolent? +or if he be, with what view he has created it? +This assumes him to be infinitely powerful, or at +least powerful enough to have prevented the evil; +but indeed we are now arguing with the Archbishop +on the supposition that he has proved the +Deity to be of infinite power. The skeptic rests +upon his dilemma, and either alternative, limited +power or limited goodness, satisfies him. + +<p>It is quite plain, therefore, that King has assumed +the thing to be proved in his first argument, +or argument <i>a priori</i>. For he proceeds upon +<!-- Page 84 --> +the postulates that the Deity is infinitely good, +and that he only had human happiness in view +when he made the world. Either supposition +would have served his purpose; and making either +would have been taking for granted the whole +matter in dispute. But he has assumed both; and +it must be added, he has made his assumption of +both as if he was only laying down a single position. +This part of the work is certainly more +slovenly than the rest. It is the third section of +the first chapter. + +<P>It is certainly not from any reluctance to admit +the existence of evil that the learned author and +his able commentator have been led into this inconclusive +course of reasoning. We shall nowhere +find more striking expositions of the state +of things in this respect, nor more gloomy descriptions +of our condition, than in their celebrated +work. “Whence so many, inaccuracies,” says the +Archbishop, “in the work of a most good and +powerful God? Whence that perpetual war between +the very elements, between animals, between +men? Whence errors, miseries and vices, the +constant companions of human life from its infancy? +Whence good to evil men, evil to the +good? If we behold anything irregular in the +work of men, if any machine serves not the end it +was made for, if we find something in it repugnant +to itself or others, we attribute that to the +<!-- Page 85 --> +ignorance, impatience or malice of the workman. +But since these qualities have no place in God, +how come they to have place in anything? Or +why does God suffer his works to be deformed by +them?”—Chap. ii. s. 3. Bishop Law, in his admirable +preface, still more cogently puts the case: +“When I inquire how I got into the world, and +came to be what I am, I am told that an absolutely +perfect being produced me out of nothing, and +placed me here on purpose to communicate some +part of his happiness to me, and to make me in +some manner like himself. This end is not obtained—the +direct contrary appears—I find myself +surrounded with nothing but perplexity, want +and misery—by whose fault I know not—how to +better myself I cannot tell. What notions of good +and goodness can this afford me? What ideas of +religion? What hopes of a future state? For if +God's aim in producing me be entirely unknown, +if it be either his glory (as some will have it), +which my present state is far from advancing, nor +mine own good, which the same is equally inconsistent +with, how know I what I have to do here, +or indeed in what manner I must endeavor to +please him? Or why should I endeavor it at all? +For if I must be miserable in this world, what +security have I that I shall not be so in another +too (if there be one), since if it were the will of +my Almighty Creator, I might (for aught I see) +<!-- Page 86 --> +have been happy in both.”—Pref. viii. The question +thus is stated. The difficulty is raised in its +full and formidable magnitude by both these +learned and able men; that they have signally +failed to lay it by the argument <i>a priori</i> is plain. +Indeed, it seems wholly impossible ever to answer +by an argument <i>a priori</i> any objection whatever +which arises altogether out of the facts made +known to us by experience alone, and which are +therefore in the nature of contingent truths, resting +upon contingent evidence, while all demonstrations +<i>a priori</i> must necessarily proceed upon +mathematical truths. Let us now see if their +labors have been more successful in applying to +the solution of the difficulty the reasoning <i>a +posteriori.</i> + +<P>Archbishop King divides evil into three kinds—imperfection, +natural evil and moral evil—including +under the last head all the physical evils +that arise from human actions, as well as the evils +which consists in the guilt of those actions. + +<P>The existence of imperfection is stated to be +necessary, because everything which is created +and not self-existent must be imperfect; consequently +every work of the Deity, in other words, +everything but the Deity himself, must have imperfection +in its nature. Nor is the existence of +some beings which are imperfect any interference +with the attributes of others. Nor the existence +<!-- Page 87 --> +of beings with many imperfections any interference +with others having pre-eminence. The goodness +of the Deity therefore is not impugned by +the existence of various orders of created beings +more or less approaching to perfection. His creating +none at all would have left the universe less +admirable and containing less happiness than it +now does. Therefore, the act of mere benevolence +which called those various orders into existence is +not impeached in respect of goodness any more +than of power by the variety of the attributes +possessed by the different beings created. + +<P>He now proceeds to grapple with the real difficulty +of the question. And it is truly astonishing +to find this acute metaphysician begin with an assumption +which entirely begs that question. As +imperfection, says he, arises from created beings +having been made out of nothing, so natural evils +arise “from all natural things having a relation to +matter, and on this account being necessarily +subject to natural evil.” As long as matter is +subject to motion, it must be the subject of generation +and corruption. “These and all other natural +evils,” says the author, “are so necessarily connected +with the material origin of things that they +cannot be separated from it, and thus the structure +of the world either ought not to have been formed +at all, or these evils must have been tolerated +without any imputation on the divine power and +<!-- Page 88 --> +goodness.” Again, he says, “corruption could +not be avoided without violence done to the laws +of motion and the nature of matter.” Again, “All +manner of inconveniences could not be avoided +because of the imperfection of matter and the nature +of motion. That state of things were therefore +preferable which was attained with the fewest and +the least inconveniences.” Then follows a kind +of menace, “And who but a very rash, indiscreet +person will affirm that God has not made choice +of this?”—when every one must perceive that +the bare propounding of the question concerning +evil calls upon us to exercise this temerity and +commit this indiscretion.—Chap. iv. s. <SPAN CLASS=smallcaps>i</SPAN>, div. +7. +He then goes into more detail as to particular +cases of natural evil; but all are handled in the +same way. Thus death is explained by saying +that the bodies of animals are a kind of vessels +which contain fluids in motion, and being broken, +the fluids are spilt and the motions cease; “because +by the native imperfection of matter it is +capable of dissolution, and the spilling and stagnation +must necessarily follow, and with it animal +life must cease.”—Chap. iv. s. 3. Disease is dealt +with in like manner. “It could not be avoided +unless animals had been made of a quite different +frame and constitution.”—Chap. iv. s. 7. The +whole reasoning is summed up in the concluding +section of this part, where the author somewhat +<!-- Page 89 --> +triumphantly says, “The difficult question then, +whence comes evil? is not unanswerable. For it +arises from the very nature and constitution of +created beings, and could not be avoided without +a contradiction.”—Chap. iv. s. 9. To this the +commentary of Bishop Law adds (Note 4<SPAN CLASS=smallcaps>i</SPAN>), “that +natural evil has been shown to be, in every case, +unavoidable, without introducing into the system +a greater evil.” + +<P>It is certain that many persons, led away by the +authority of a great name, have been accustomed +to regard this work as a text-book, and have appealed +to Archbishop King and his learned commentator +as having solved the question. So many +men have referred to the <i>Principia</i> as showing the +motions of the heavenly bodies, who never read, or +indeed could read, a page of that immortal work. +But no man ever did open it who could read it and +find himself disappointed in any one particular; +the whole demonstration is perfect; not a link is +wanting; nothing is assumed. How different the +case here! We open the work of the prelate and +find it from the first to last a chain of gratuitous +assumptions, and, of the main point, nothing +whatever is either proved or explained. Evil +arises, he says, from the nature of matter. Who +doubts it? But is not the whole question why +matter was created with such properties as of +necessity to produce evil? It was impossible, says +<!-- Page 90 --> +he, to avoid it consistently with the laws of motion +and matter. Unquestionably; but the whole dispute +is upon those laws. If indeed the laws of +nature, the existing constitution of the material +world, were assumed as necessary, and as binding +upon the Deity, how is it possible that any question +ever could have been raised? The Deity +having the power to make those laws, to endow +matter with that constitution, and having also the +power to make different laws and to give matter +another constitution, the whole question is, how +his choosing to create the present existing order of +things—the laws and the constitution which we +find to prevail—can be reconciled with perfect +goodness. The whole argument of the Archbishop +assumes that matter and its laws are independent +of the Deity; and the only conclusion to which +the inquiry leads us is that the Creator has made +a world with as little of evil in it as the nature of +things,—that is, as the laws of nature and matter—allowed +him; which is nonsense, if those laws +were made by him, and leaves the question where +it was, or rather solves it by giving up the omnipotence +of the Creator, if these laws were binding +upon him. + +<P>It must be added, however, that Dr. King and +Dr. Law are not singular in pursuing this most +inconclusive course of reasoning. + +<P>Thus Dr. J. Clarke, in his treatise on natural +<!-- Page 91 --> +evil, quoted by Bishop Law (Note 32), shows how +mischiefs arise from the laws of matter; and says +this could not be avoided “without altering those +primary laws, i. e., making it something else than +what it is, or changing it into another form; the +result of which would only be to render it liable +to evils of another kind against which the same +objections would equally lie.” So Dr. J. Burnett, +in his discourses on evil, at the Boyle Lecture +(vol. ii. P. 201), conceives that he explains death +by saying that the materials of which the body is +composed “cannot last beyond seventy years, or +thereabouts, and it was originally intended that +we should die at that age.” Pain, too, he imagines +is accounted for by observing that we are endowed +with feelings, and that if we could not feel pain, so +neither could we pleasure (p. 202). Again, he +says that there are certain qualities which “in the +nature of things matter is incapable of” (p. 207). +And as if he really felt the pressure of this difficulty, +be at length comes to this conclusion, that +life is a free gift, which we had no right to exact, +and which the Deity lay under no necessity to +grant, and therefore we must take it with the conditions +annexed (p. 210); which is undeniably +true, but is excluding the discussion and not answering +the question proposed. Nor must it be +forgotten that some reasoners deal strangely with +the facts. Thus Derham, in his <i>Physico-Theology</i>, +<!-- Page 92 --> +explaining the use of poison in snakes, first desires +us to bear in mind that many venomous ones +are of use medicinally in stubborn diseases, which +is not true, and if it were, would prove nothing, +unless the venom, not the flesh, were proved to be +medicinal; and then says, they are “scourges +upon ungrateful and sinful men;” adding the +truly astounding absurdity, “that the nations +which know not God are the most annoyed with +noxious reptiles and other pernicious creatures.” +(Book ix. c. <SPAN CLASS=smallcaps>i</SPAN>); which if it were true would raise +a double difficulty, by showing that one people was +scourged because another had neglected to preach +the gospel among them. Dr. J. Burnett, too, accounts +for animals being suffered to be killed as +food for man, by affirming that they thereby gain +all the care which man is thus led to bestow upon +them, and so are, on the whole, the better for +being eaten. (Boyle Lecture, II. 207). But the +most singular error has perhaps been fallen into +by Dr. Sherlock, and the most, unhappy—which +yet Bishop Law has cited as a sufficient answer to +the objection respecting death: “It is a great instrument +of government, and makes men afraid of +committing such villanies as the laws of their +country have made capital.” (Note 34). So that +the greatest error in the criminal legislation of all +countries forms part of the divine providence, and +man has at length discovered, by the light of reason, +<!-- Page 93 --> +the folly and the wickedness of using an instrument +expressly created by divine Omniscience +to be abused! + +<P>The remaining portion of King's work, filling +the second volume of Bishop Law's edition, is devoted +to the explanation of Moral Evil; and here +the gratuitous assumption of the “nature of +things,” and the “laws of nature,” more or less +pervade the whole as in the former parts of the +Inquiry. + +<P>The fundamental position of the whole is, that +man having been endowed with free will, his +happiness consists in making due elections, or in +the right exercise of that free will. Five causes +are then given of undue elections, in which of +course his misery consists as far as that depends +on himself; these causes are error, negligence, +over-indulgence of free choice, obstinacy or bad +habit, and the importunity of natural appetites; +which last, it must in passing be remarked, belongs +to the head of physical evil, and cannot be +assumed in this discussion without begging the +question. The great difficulty is then stated and +grappled with, namely, how to reconcile these +undue elections with divine goodness. The objector +states that free will might exist without the +power of making undue elections, he being suffered +to range, as it were, only among lawful objects of +choice. But the answer to this seems sound, that +<!-- Page 94 --> +such a will would only be free in name; it would +be free to choose among certain things, but would +not be free-will. The objector again urges, that +either the choice is free and may fall upon evil +objects, against the goodness of God, or it is so +restrained as only to fall on good objects. Against +freedom of the will King's solution is, that more +evil would result from preventing these undue +elections than from suffering them, and so the +Deity has only done the best he could in the circumstances; +a solution obviously liable to the +same objection as that respecting Natural Evil. +There are three ways, says the Archbishop, in +which undue elections might have been prevented; +not creating a free agent—constant interference +with his free-will—removing him to another state +where he would not be tempted to go astray in his +choice. A fourth mode may, however, be +suggested—creating a free-agent without any inclination +to evil, or any temptation from external +objects. When our author disposes of the second +method, by stating that it assumes a constant +miracle, as great in the moral as altering the +course of the planets hourly would be in the material +universe, nothing can be more sound or +more satisfactory. But when he argues that our +whole happiness consists in a consciousness of +freedom of election, and that we should never +know happiness were we restrained in any particular, +<!-- Page 95 --> +it seems wholly inconceivable how he should +have omitted to consider the prodigious comfort of +a state in which we should be guaranteed against +any error or impropriety of choice; a state in +which we should both be unable to go astray and +always feel conscious of that security. He, however, +begs the question most manifestly in dealing +with the two other methods stated, by which undue +elections might have been precluded. “You +would have freedom,” says he, “without any inclination +to sin; but it may justly be doubted if +this is possible <i>in the present state of things</i>,” (chap. +v. s. 5, sub. 2); and again, in answering the +question why God did not remove us into another state +where no temptation could seduce us, he says: “It +is plain that <i>in the present state of things</i> it is impossible +for men to live without natural evils or +the danger of sinning.” (<i>Ib</i>.) Now the whole +question arises upon the constitution of the present +state of things. If that is allowed to be inevitable, +or is taken as a datum in the discussion, there +ceases to be any question at all. + +<P>The doctrine of a chain of being is enlarged +upon, and with much felicity of illustration. But +it only wraps up the difficulty in other words, +without solving it. For then the question becomes +this—Why did the Deity create such a chain as +could not be filled up without misery? It is, indeed, +merely restating the fact of evil existing; +<!-- Page 96 --> +for whether we say there is suffering among sentient +beings—or the universe consists of beings +more or less happy, more or less miserable—or +there exists a chain of beings varying in perfection +and in felicity—it is manifestly all one proposition. +The remark of Bayle upon this view of +the subject is really not at all unsound, and is +eminently ingenious: “Would you defend a king +who should confine all his subjects of a certain +age in dungeons, upon the ground that if he did +not, many of the cells he had built must remain +empty?” The answer of Bishop Law to this remark +is by no means satisfactory. He says it +assumes that more misery than happiness exists. +Now, in this view of the question, the balance is +quite immaterial. The existence of any evil at all +raises the question as much as the preponderance +of evil over good, because the question conceives a +perfectly good Being, and asks how such a Being +can have permitted any evil at all. Upon this +part of the subject both King and Law have fallen +into an error which recent discoveries place in a +singularly clear light. They say that the argument +they are dealing with would lead to leaving +the earth to the brutes without human inhabitants. +But the recent discoveries in Fossil Osteology +have proved that the earth, for ages before the last +5,000 or 6,000 years, was left to the lower animals; +nay, that in a still earlier period of its existence +<!-- Page 97 --> +no animal life at all was maintained upon its surface. +So that, in fact, the foundation is removed +of the <i>reductio ad absurdum</i> attempted by the +learned prelates. + +<P>A singular argument is used towards the latter +end of the inquiry. When the Deity, it is said, +resolved to create other beings, He must of necessity +tolerate imperfect natures in his handiwork, +just as he must the equality of a circle's radii +when he drew a circle. Who does not perceive +the difference? The meaning of the word circle +is that the radii are all equal; this equality is a +necessary truth. But it is not shown that men +could not exist without the imperfections they +labor under. Yet this is the argument suggested +by these authors while complaining (chap. v. s. +5, sub. 7, div. 7), that Lactantius had not sufficiently +answered the Epicurean dilemma; it is +the substitute propounded to supply that father's +deficiency.—“When, therefore,” says the Archbishop, +“matter, motion and free-will are constituted, +the Deity must necessarily permit corruption +of things and the abuse of liberty, or something +worse, for these cannot be separated without a +contradiction, and God is no more important, because +he cannot separate equality of radii from a +circle.”—Chap. v. s. 5, subs. 7. If he could not +have created evil, he would not have been omnipotent; +if he would not, he must let his power lie +<!-- Page 98 --> +idle; and rejecting evil have rejected all the good. +“Thus,” exclaims the author with triumph and +self-complacency, “then vanishes this Herculean +argument which induced the Epicureans to discard +the good Deity, and the Manicheans to substitute +an evil one.” (<i>Ib.</i> subs. 7, <i>sub. fine.</i>) Nor is +the explanation rendered more satisfactory, or indeed +more intelligible, by the concluding passage +of all, in which we are told that “from a conflict +of two properties, namely, omnipotence and goodness, +evils necessarily arise. These attributes +amicably conspire together, and yet restrain and +limit each other.” It might have been expected +from hence that no evil at all should be found to +exist. “There is a kind of struggle and opposition +between them, whereof the evils in nature +bear the shadow and resemblance. Here, then, +and no where else, mar we find the primary and +most certain rise and origin of evils.” + +<P>Such is this celebrated work; and it may safely +be affirmed that a more complete failure to overcome +a great and admitted difficulty—a more unsatisfactory +solution of an important question—is +not to be found in the whole history of metaphysical science. + +<P>Among the authors who have treated of this +subject, a high place is justly given to Archdeacon +Bulguy, whose work on <i>Divine Benevolence</i> is always +referred to by Dr. Paley with great commendation. +<!-- Page 99 --> +But certain it is that this learned and +pious writer either had never formed to himself a +very precise notion of the real question under discussion, +namely, the compatibility of the appearances +which we see and which we consider as evil, +with a Being infinitely powerful as well as good; +or he had in his mind some opinions respecting +the divine nature, opinions of a limitary kind, +which he does not state distinctly, although he +constantly suffers them to influence his seasonings. +Hence, whenever he comes close to the +real difficulty he appears to beg the question. A +very few instances of what really pervades the +whole work will suffice to show how unsatisfactory +its general scope is, although it contains, like the +treatise of Dr. King and Dr. Law's Commentary, +many valuable observations on the details of the +subject. + +<P>And first we may perceive that what he terms a +“<i>previous remark,</i>” and desires the reader “to +carry along through the whole proof of divine +benevolence,” really contains a statement that <i>the +difficulty is to be evaded and not met.</i> “An intention +of producing good,” says he, “will be sufficiently +apparent in any particular instance if the +thing considered can neither be changed nor taken +away without loss or harm, <i>all other things continuing +the same.</i> Should you suppose <i>various</i> +things in the system changed <i>at once</i>, you can +<!-- Page 100 --> +neither judge of the possibility nor the consequences +of the changes, having no degree of experience +to direct you.” Now assuredly this +postulate makes the whole question as easy a one +as ever metaphysician or naturalist had to solve. +For it is no longer—Why did a powerful and benevolent +Being create a world in which there is +evil—but only—The world being given, how far +are its different arrangements consistent with one +another? According to this, the earthquake at +Lisbon, Voltaire's favorite instance, destroyed +thousands of persons, because it is in the nature +of things that subterraneous vapors should explode, +and that when houses fall on human beings +they should be killed. Then if Dr. Balguy goes +to his other argument, on which be often dwells, +that if this nature were altered, we cannot possibly +tell whether worse might not ensue; this, too, is +assuming a limited power in the Deity, contrary +to the hypothesis. It may most justly be said, +that if there be any one supposition necessarily +excluded from the whole argument, it is the fundamental +supposition of the “previous remark,” +namely, “all other things continuing the same.” + +<P>But see how this assumption pervades and paralyzes +the whole argument, rendering it utterly +inconclusive. The author is to answer an objection +derived from the constitution of our appetites +for food, and his reply is, that “we cannot tell +<!-- Page 101 --> +how far it was <i>possible</i> for the stomachs and palates +of animals to be differently formed, unless by +some remedy worse than the disease.” Again, +upon the question of pain: “How do we know +that it was <i>possible</i> for the uneasy sensation to be +confined to particular cases?” So we meet the +same fallacy under another form, as evil being the +result of “general principles.” But no one has +ever pushed this so far as Dr. Balguy, for he says, +“that in a government so conducted, many events +are likely to happen contrary to the intention of +its author.” He now calls in the aid of chance, or +accident.—“It is probable,” he says, “that God +should be good, for evil is more likely to be <i>accidental</i> +than appears from experience in the conduct +of men.” Indeed, his fundamental position +of the Deity's benevolence is rested upon this +foundation, that “pleasures only were intended, +and that the pains are accidental consequences, +although the means of producing pleasures.” The +same recourse to accident is repeatedly had. +Thus, “the events to which we are exposed in +this imperfect state appear to be the <i>accidental</i>, not +natural, effects of our frame and condition.” Now +can any one thing be more manifest than that the +very first notion of a wise and powerful Being excludes +all such assumptions as things happening +contrary to His intention; and that when we use +the word chance or accident, which only means +<!-- Page 102 --> +our human ignorance of causes, we at once give +up the whole question, as if we said, “It is a subject +about which we know nothing.” So again as +to power. “A good design is more <i>difficult</i> to be +executed, and therefore more likely to be executed +<i>imperfectly</i>, than an evil one, that is, with a mixture +of effects foreign to the design and opposite +to it.” This at once assumes the Deity to be +powerless. But a general statement is afterwards +made more distinctly to the same effect. “Most +sure it is that he can do all things possible. But +are we in any degree competent judges of the +bounds of possibility?” So again under another +form nature is introduced as something different +from its author, and offering limits to his power. +“It is plainly not the method of nature to obtain +her ends instantaneously.” Passing over such +propositions as that “<i>useless</i> evil is a thing never +seen,” (when the whole question is why the same +ends were not attained without evil), and a variety +of other subordinate assumptions contrary to the +hypothesis, we may rest with this general statement, +which almost every page of Dr. Balguy's +book bears out, that the question which be has set +himself to solve is anything rather than the real +one touching the Origin of Evil; and that this +attempt at a solution is as ineffectual as any of +those which we have been considering. + +<P>Is, then, the question wholly incapable of solution, +<!-- Page 103 --> +which all these learned and ingenious men +have so entirely failed in solving? Must the +difficulty remain forever unsurmounted, and only +be approached to discover that it is insuperable? +<i>Must the subject, of all others the most interesting +for us to know well, be to us always as a sealed +book, of which we can never know anything?</i> From +the nature of the thing—from the question relating +to the operation of a power which, to our +limited faculties, must ever be incomprehensible—there +seems too much reason for believing that +nothing precise or satisfactory ever will be attained +by human reason regarding this great +argument; and that the bounds which limit our +views will only be passed when we have quitted +the encumbrances of our mortal state, and are permitted +to survey those regions beyond the sphere +of our present circumscribed existence. The +other branch of Natural Theology, that which investigates +the evidences of Intelligence and Design, +and leads us to a clear apprehension of the +Deity's power and wisdom, is as satisfactorily +cultivated as any other department of science, +rests upon the same species of proof, and affords +results as precise as they are sublime. This +branch will never be distinctly known, and will +always so disappoint the inquirer as to render the +lights of Revelation peculiarly acceptable, although +even those lights leave much of it still +<!-- Page 104 --> +involved in darkness—still mysterious and obscure.<A NAME="S2" +HREF="#R2"><FONT SIZE=-1><SUP>2</SUP></FONT></A> + +<P>Yet let us endeavor to suggest some possible +explication, while we admit that nothing certain, +nothing entirely satisfactory can be reached. The +failure of the great writers whose works we have +been contemplating may well teach us humility, +make us distrust ourselves, and moderate within +us any sanguine hopes of success. But they +should not make us wholly despair of at least +showing in what direction the solution of the difficulty +is to be sought, and whereabouts it will +probably be found situated, when our feeble reason +shall be strengthened and expanded. For one +cause of their discomfiture certainly has been their +aiming too high, attempting a complete solution +of a problem which only admitted of approximation, +and discussion of limits. + +<P>It is admitted on all hands that the demonstration +is complete which shows the existence of intelligence +and design in the universe. The +structure of the eye and ear in exact confirmity to +the laws of optics and acoustics, shows as clearly +as any experiment can show anything, that the +source, cause or origin is common both to the +<!-- Page 105 --> +properties of light and the formation of the lenses +and retina in the eye—both to the properties of +sound and the tympanum, malleus, incus and +stapes of the ear. No doubt whatever can exist +upon the subject, any more than, if we saw a particular +order issued to a body of men to perform +certain uncommon evolutions, and afterwards saw +the same body performing those same evolutions, +we could doubt their having received the order. +A designing and intelligent and skillful author of +these admirably adapted works is equally a clear +inference from the same facts. We can no more +doubt it than we can question, when we see a mill +grinding corn into flour, that the machinery was +made by some one who designed by means of it to +prepare the materials of bread. The same conclusions +are drawn in a vast variety of other instances, +both with respect to the parts of human and other +bodies, and with respect to most of the other arrangements +of nature. Similar conclusions are +also drawn from our consciousness, and the knowledge +which it gives us of the structure of the +mind.<A NAME="S3" HREF="#R3"><FONT SIZE=-1><SUP>3</SUP></FONT></A> +Thus we find that attention quickens +<!-- Page 106 --> +memory and enables us to recollect; and that +habit renders all exertions and all acquisitions +easy, beside having the effect of alleviating pain. + +<P>But when we carry our survey into other parts, +whether of the natural or moral system, we cannot +discover any design at all. We frequently perceive +structures the use of which we know nothing +about; parts of the animal frame that apparently +have no functions to perform—nay, that are the +source of pain without yielding any perceptible +advantage; arrangements and movements of bodies +which are of one particular kind, and yet we are +quite at a loss to discern any reason why they +might not have been of many other descriptions; +operations of nature that seem to serve no purpose +whatever; and other operations and other arrangements, +chosen equally without any beneficial view, +and yet which often give rise to much apparent +confusion and mischief. Now, the question is, +<i>first</i>, whether in any one of these cases of arrangement +and structures with no visible object at all, +we can for a moment suppose that there really is +no object answered, or only conceive that we have +been unable to discover it? <i>Secondly</i>, whether in +the cases where mischief sometimes is perceived, +and no other purpose appears to be effected, we do +not almost as uniformly lay the blame on our own +ignorance, and conclude, not that the arrangement +was made without any design, and that mischief +<!-- Page 107 --> +arises without any contriver, but that if we knew +the whole case we should find a design and contrivance, +and also that the apparent mischief would +sink into the general good? It is not necessary +to admit, for our present purpose, this latter proposition, +though it brings us closer to the matter in +hand; it is sufficient for the present to admit, what +no one doubts, that when a part of the body, for +instance, is discovered, to which, like the spleen, +we cannot assign any function in the animal system, +we never think of concluding that it is made +for no use, but only that we have as yet not been +able to discover its use. + +<P>Now, let us ask, why do we, without any hesitation +whatever, or any exception whatever, always +and immediately arrive at this conclusion +respecting intelligence and design? Nothing +could be more unphilosophical, nay, more groundless, +than such a process of reasoning, if we had +only been able to trace design in one or two instances; +for instance, if we found only the eye to +show proofs of contrivance, it would be wholly +gratuitous, when we saw the ear, to assume that it +was adapted to the nature of sound, and still more +so, if, on examination, we perceived it bore no +perceptible relation to the laws of acoustics. The +proof of contrivance in one particular is nothing +like a proof, nay, does not even furnish the least +presumption of contrivance in other particulars; +<!-- Page 108 --> +because, <i>a priori</i>, it is just as easy to suppose one +part of nature to be designed for a purpose, and +another part, nay, all other parts, to be formed at +random and without any contrivance, as to suppose +that the formation of the whole is governed +by design. Why, then, do we, invariably and +undoubtedly, adopt the course of reasoning which +has been mentioned, and never for a moment suspect +anything to be formed without some reason—some +rational purpose? The only ground of this +belief is, that we have been able distinctly to trace +design in so vast a majority of cases as leaves us +no power of doubting that, if our faculties had +been sufficiently powerful, or our, investigation +sufficiently diligent, we should also have been able +to trace it in those comparatively few instances respecting +which we still are in the dark. + +<P>It may be worth while to give a few instances of +the ignorance in which we once were of design in +some important arrangements of nature, and of the +knowledge which we now possess to show the purpose +of their formation. Before Sir Isaac Newton's +optical discoveries, we could not tell why the +structure of the eye was so complex, and why +several lenses and humors were required to form a +picture of objects upon the retina. Indeed, until +Dolland's subsequent discovery of the achromatic +effect of combining various glasses, and Mr. Blair's +still more recent experiments on the powers of +<!-- Page 109 --> +different refracting media, we were not able distinctly +to perceive the operation and use of the +complicacy in the structure of the eye. We now +well understand its nature, and are able to comprehend +how that which had at one time, nay, for +ages, seemed to be an unnecessary complexity; +forms the most perfect of all optical instruments, +and according to the most certain laws of refraction +and of dispersion. + +<P>So, too, we had observed for some centuries the +forms of the orbits in which the heavenly bodies +move, and we had found these to be ellipses with +a very small eccentricity. But why this was the +form of those orbits no one could even conjecture. +If any person, the most deeply skilled in mathematical +science, and the most internally convinced +of the universal prevalence of design and contrivance +in the structure of the universe, had been +asked what reason there was for the planets moving +in ellipses so, nearly approaching to circles, he +could not have given any good reason, at least beyond +a guess. The force of gravitation, even +admitting that to be, as it were, a condition of the +creation of matter, would have made those bodies +revolve in ellipses of any degree of eccentricity +just as well, provided the angle and the force of +projection had been varied. Then, why was this +form rather, than any other chosen? No one +knew; yet no one doubted that there was ample +<!-- Page 110 --> +reason for it. Accordingly the sublime discoveries +of Lagrange and La Place have shown us that this +small eccentricity is one material element in the +formula by which it is shown that all the irregularities +of the system are periodical, and that the +deviation never can exceed a certain amount on +either hand. + +<P>But, again, while we are ignorant of this, perhaps +the most sublime truth in all science, we +were always arguing as if the system had an imperfection, +as if the disturbing forces of the different +planets and the sun, acting on one another, +constantly changed the orbits of each planet, and +must, in a course of ages, work the destruction of +the whole planetary arrangement which we had +contemplated with so great admiration and with +awe. It was deemed enough if we could show +that this derangement must be extremely slow, +and that, therefore, the system might last for many +more ages without requiring any interposition of +omnipotent skill to preserve it by rectifying its +motions. Thus one of the most celebrated writers +above cited argues that, “from the nature of gravitation +and the concentricity of the orbits, the irregularities +produced are so slowly operated in +contracting, dilating and inclining those orbits, +that the system may go on for many thousand +years before any extraordinary interference becomes +necessary in order to correct it.” And Dr. +<!-- Page 111 --> +Burnett adds, that “those small irregularities cast +no discredit on the good contrivance of the whole.” +Nothing, however, could cast greater discredit if it +were as he supposed, and as all men previous to +the late discoveries supposed; it was only, they +rather think, a “small irregularity,” which was +every hour tending to the destruction of the whole +system, and which must have deranged or confounded +its whole structure long before it destroyed +it. Yet now we see that the wisdom, to +which a thousand years are as one day, not satisfied +with constructing a fabric which might last +for “many thousand years without His interference,” +has so formed it that it may thus endure +forever. + +<P>Now if such be the grounds of our belief in the +universal prevalence of Design, and such the different +lights which at different periods of our +progress in science we possess upon this branch +of the divine government; if we undoubtingly believe +that contrivance is universal only because +we can trace and comprehend it in a great majority +of instances, and if the number of exceptions to +the rule is occasionally diminished as our knowledge +of the particulars is from time to time extended—may +we not apply the same principle to +the apprehension of Benevolent purpose, and infer +from the number of instances in which we plainly +perceive a good intention, that if we were better +<!-- Page 112 --> +acquainted with those cases in which a contrary +intention is now apparent, we should there, too, +find the generally pervading character of Benevolence +to prevail? Not only is this the manner in +which we reason respecting the Design of the Creator +from examining his works; it is the manner +in which we treat the conduct of our fellow-creatures. +A man of the most extensive benevolence +and strictest integrity in his general deportment +has done something equivocal; nay, something +apparently harsh and cruel; we are slow to condemn +him; we give him credit for acting with a +good motive and for a righteous purpose; we rest +satisfied that “if we only knew everything he +would come out blameless.” This arises from a +just and a sound view of human character, and its +general consistency with itself. The same reasoning +may surely be applied with all humility and +reverence, to the works and the intentions of the +great Being who has implanted in our minds the +principles which lead to that just and sound view +of the deeds and motives of men. + +<P>But let the argument be rested upon our course +of reasoning respecting divine contrivance. The +existence of Evil is in no case more apparent than +the existence of Disorder seems to be in many +things. To go no further than the last example +which has been given—the mathematician could +perceive the derangement in the planetary orbits, +<!-- Page 113 --> +could demonstrate that it must ensue from the +mutual action of the heavenly bodies on each +other, could calculate its progress with the utmost +exactness, could tell with all nicety how much it +would alter the forms of the orbits in a given time, +could foresee the time when the whole system +must be irretrievably destroyed by its operation as +a mathematical certainty. Nothing, that we call +evil can be much more certainly perceived than +this derangement, of itself an evil, certainly a +great imperfection, if the system was observed by +the mind of man as we regard human works. Yet +we now find, from well considering some things +which had escaped attention, that the system is +absolutely free from derangement; that all the +disturbances counterbalance each other; and that +the orbits never can either be flattened or bulged +out beyond a definite or very inconsiderable quantity. +Can any one doubt that there is also a reason +for even the small and limited, this regular and +temporary derangement? Why it exists at all, or +in any the least degree, we as yet know not. But +who will presume to doubt that it has a reason +which would at once satisfy our minds were it +known to us? Nay, who will affirm that the discovery +of it may not yet be in reserve for some +later and happier age? Then are we not entitled +to apply the same reasoning to what at present +appears Evil in a system of which, after all we +<!-- Page 114 --> +know of it, so much still remains concealed from +our view? + +<P>The mere act of creation in a Being of wisdom +so admirable and power so vast, seems to make it +extremely probable that perfect goodness accompanies +the exertion of his perfect skill. There is +something so repugnant to all our feelings, but +also to all the conceptions of our reason, in the +supposition of such a Being desiring the misery, +for its own sake, of the Beings whom he voluntarily +called into existence and endowed with a +sentient nature, that the mind naturally and irresistibly +recoils from such a thought. But this is +not all. If the nature of that great Being were +evil, his power being unbounded, there would be +some proportion between the amounts of ills and +the monuments of that power. Yet we are struck +dumb with the immensity of His works to which +no imperfection can be ascribed, and in which no +evil can be traced, while the amount of mischief +that we see might sink into a most insignificant +space; and is such as a being of inconsiderable +power and very limited skill could easily have accomplished. +This is not the same consideration +with the balance of good against evil; and inquirers +do not seem to have sufficiently attended +to it. The argument, however, deserves much attention, +for it is purely and strictly inductive. +The divine nature is shown to be clothed with prodigious +<!-- Page 115 --> +power and incomparable wisdom and skill,—power +and skill so vast and so exceeding our +comprehension that we ordinarily term them infinite, +and are only inclined to conceive the possibility +of limiting, by the course of the argument +upon evil, one alternative of which is assumed to +raise an exception. But admitting on account of +the question under discussion, that we have only +a right to say that power and skill are prodigiously +great, though possibly not boundless, they are +plainly shown in the phenomena of the universe +to be the attributes of a Being, who, if evil-disposed, +could have made the monuments of Ill upon +a scale resembling those of Power and Skill; so +that if those things which seem to us evil be really +the result of a mischievous design in such a Being, +we cannot comprehend why they are upon so entirely +different a scale. This is a strong presumption +from the facts that we are wrong in imputing +those appearances to such a disposition. If so, +what seems evil must needs be capable of some +other explanation consistent with divine goodness—that +is to say, would not prove to be evil at all +if we knew the whole of those facts. + +<P>But it is necessary to proceed a step further, +especially with a view to the fundamental position +now contended for, the extending to the question +of Benevolence the same principles which we apply +to that of Intelligence. The evil which exists, +<!-- Page 116 --> +or that which we suppose to be evil, not only is of +a kind and a magnitude requiring inconceivably +less power and less skill than the admitted good +of the creation—it also bears a very small proportion +in amount; quite as small a proportion as the +cases of unknown or undiscoverable design bear to +those of acknowledged and proved contrivance. +Generally speaking, the preservation and the +happiness of sensitive creatures appears to be the +great object of creative exertion and conservative +providence. The expanding of our faculties, both +bodily and mentally, is accompanied with pleasure; +the exercise of those powers is almost always attended +with gratification; all labor so acts as to +make rest peculiarly delicious; much of labor is +enjoyment; the gratification of those appetites by +which both the individual is preserved and the +race is continued, is highly pleasurable to all animals; +and it must be observed that instead of +being attracted by grateful sensations to do anything +requisite for our good or even our existence, +we might have been just as certainly urged by +the feeling of pain, or the dread of it, which is a +kind of suffering in itself. Nature, then, resembles +the law-giver who, to make his subjects obey, +should prefer holding out rewards for compliance +with his commands rather than denounce punishments +for disobedience. But nature is yet more +kind; she is gratuitously kind; she not only prefers +<!-- Page 117 --> +inducement to threat or compulsion, but she +adds more gratification than was necessary to make +us obey her calls. How well might all creation +have existed and been continued, though the air +had not been balmy in spring, or the shade and +the spring refreshing in summer; had the earth +not been enamelled with flowers; and the air +scented with perfumes! How needless for the +propagation of plants was it that the seed should +be enveloped in fruits the most savory to our +palate, and if those fruits serve some other purpose, +how foreign to that purpose was the formation +of our nerves so framed as to be soothed or +excited by their flavor! We here perceive design, +because we trace adaptation. But we at the same +time perceive benevolent design, because we perceive +gratuitous and supererogatory enjoyment bestowed. +Thus, too, see the care with which animals +of all kinds are tended from their birth. The +mother's instinct is not more certainly the means +of securing and providing for her young, than her +gratification in the act of maternal care is great +and is also needless for making her perform that +duty. The grove is not made vocal during pairing +and incubation, in order to secure the laying or +the hatching of eggs; for if it were as still as the +grave, or were filled with the most discordant +croaking, the process would be as well performed. +So, too, mark the care with which injuries are +<!-- Page 118 --> +remedied by what has been correctly called the <i>vis +medicatrix</i>. Is a muscle injured?—Suppuration +takes place, the process of granulation succeeds, +and new flesh is formed to supply the gap, or if +that is less wide, a more simple healing process +knits together the severed parts. Is a bone injured?—A +process commences by which an extraordinary +secretion of bony matter takes place, +and the void is supplied. Nay, the irreparable injury +of a joint gives rise to the formation of a new +hinge, by which the same functions may be not +inconveniently, though less perfectly, performed. +Thus, too, recovery of vigor after sickness is provided +for by increased appetite; but there is here +superadded, generally, a feeling of comfort and +lightness, an enjoyment of existence so delightful, +that it is a common remark how nearly this compensates +the sufferings of the illness. In the +economy of the mind it is the same thing. All +our exertions are stimulated by curiosity, and the +gratification is extreme of satisfying it. But it +might have been otherwise ordered, and some +painful feeling might have been made the only +stimulant to the acquisition of knowledge. So, +the charm of novelty is proverbial; but it might +have been the unceasing cause of the most painful +alarms. Habit renders every thing easy; but the +repetition might have only increased the annoyance. +The loss of one organ makes the others +<!-- Page 119 --> +more acute. But the partial injury might have +caused, as it were, a general paralysis. 'Tis thus +that Paley is well justified in exclaiming, “It is a +happy world after all!” The pains and the sufferings, +bodily and mental, to which we are exposed, +if they do not sink into nothing, at least retreat +within comparatively narrow bounds; the ills are +hardly seen when we survey the great and splendid +picture of worldly enjoyment or ease. + +<P>But the existence of considerable misery is undeniable: +and the question is, of course, confined +to that. Its exaggeration, in the ordinary estimate +both of the vulgar and of skeptical reasoners, is +equally certain. Paley, Bishop Sumner, as well +as Derham, King, Ray and others of the older +writers, have made many judicious and generally +correct observations upon its amount, and they, as +well as some of the able and learned authors of +the <i>Bridgwater Treatises</i>, have done much in establishing +deductions necessary to be made, in +order that we may arrive at the true amount. +That many things, apparently unmixed evils, +when examined more narrowly, prove to be partially +beneficial, is the fair result of their well-meant +labors; and this, although anything rather +than a proof that there is no evil at all, yet is valuable +as still further proving the analogy between +this branch of the argument and that upon design; +and in giving hopes that all may possibly +<!-- Page 120 --> +be found hereafter to be good, as everything will +assuredly be found to be contrived with an intelligent +and useful purpose. It may be right to add +a remark or two upon some evils, and those of the +greatest magnitude in the common estimate of +human happiness, with a view of further illustrating +this part of the subject. + +<P>Mere imperfection must altogether be deducted +from the account. It never can be contended that +any evil nature can be ascribed to the first cause, +merely for not having endowed sentient creatures +with greater power or wisdom, for not having increased +and multiplied the sources of enjoyment, +or for not having made those pleasures which we +have more exquisitely grateful. No one can be so +foolish as to argue that the Deity is either limited +in power, or deficient in goodness, because he has +chosen to create some beings of a less perfect order +than others. The mere negation in the creating +of some, indeed of many, nay, of any conceivable +number of desirable attributes, is therefore no +proper evidence of evil design or of limited power +in the Creator—it is no proof of the existence of +evil properly so called. But does not this also +erase death from the catalogue of ills? It might +well please the Deity to create a mortal being +which, consisting of soul and body, was only to +live upon this earth for a limited number of years. +If, when that time has expired, this being is removed +<!-- Page 121 --> +to another and a superior state of existence, +no evil whatever accrues to it from the change; +and all views of the government of this world lead +to the important and consolitary conclusion, that +such is the design of the Creator; that he cannot +have bestowed on us minds capable of such expansion +and culture only to be extinguished when +they have reached their highest pitch of improvement; +or if this be considered as begging the +question by assuming benevolent design, we cannot +easily conceive that while the mind's force is +so little affected by the body's decay, the destruction +or dissolution of the latter should be the extinction +of the former. But that death operates as +an evil of the very highest kind in two ways is +obvious; the dread of it often embitters life, and +the death of friends brings to the mind by far its +most painful infliction; certainly the greatest suffering +it can undergo without any criminal consciousness +of its own. + +<P>For this evil, then—this grievous and admitted +evil—how shall we account? But first let us +consider whether it be not unavoidable; not merely +under the present dispensation, and in the existing +state of things; for that is wholly irrelevant +to the question which is raised upon the fitness of +this very state of things; but whether it be not a +necessary evil. That man might have been +created immortal is not denied; but if it were the +<!-- Page 122 --> +will of the Deity to form a limited being and to +place him upon the earth for only a certain period +of time, his death was the necessary consequence +of this determination. Then as to the pain which +one person's removal inflicts upon surviving parties, +this seems the equally necessary consequence +of their having affections. For if any being feels +love towards another, this implies his desire that +the intercourse with that other should continue; +or what is the same thing, the repugnance and +aversion to its ceasing; that is, he must suffer affliction +for that removal of the beloved object. To +create sentient beings devoid of all feelings of affection +was no doubt possible to Omnipotence; +but to endow those beings with such feelings as +would give the constant gratification derived from +the benevolent affections, and yet to make them +wholly indifferent to the loss of the objects of those +affections, was not possible even for Omnipotence; +because it was a contradiction in terms, equivalent +to making a thing both exist and not exist at one +and the same time. Would there have been any +considerable happiness in a life stripped of these +kindly affections? We cannot affirm that there +would not, because we are ignorant what other enjoyments +might have been substituted for the indulgence +of them. But neither can we affirm that +any such substitution could have been found; and +it lies upon those who deny the necessary connection +<!-- Page 123 --> +between the human mind, or any sentient +being's mind, and grief for the loss of friends, to +show that there are other enjoyments which could +furnish an equivalent to the gratification derived +from the benevolent feelings. The question then +reduces itself to this: Wherefore did a being, who +could have made sentient beings immortal, choose +to make them mortal? or, Wherefore has he +placed man upon the earth for a time only? or, +Wherefore has he set bounds to the powers and +capacities which he has been pleased to bestow +upon his creatures? And this is a question which +we certainly never shall be able to solve; but a +question extremely different from the one more +usually put—How happens it that a good being +has made a world full of misery and death? + +<P>In the necessary ignorance wherein we are of +the whole designs of the Deity, we cannot wonder +if some things, nay, if many things, are to our +faculties inscrutable. But we assuredly have no +right to say that those difficulties which try and +vex us are incapable of a solution, any more than +we have to say, that those cases in which as yet +we can see no trace of design, are not equally the +result of intelligence, and equally conducive to a +fixed and useful purpose with those in which we +have been able to perceive the whole, or nearly +the whole scheme. Great as have been our +achievements in physical astronomy, we are as yet +<!-- Page 124 --> +wholly unable to understand why a power pervades +the system acting inversely as the squares of the +distance from the point to which it attracts, rather +than a power acting according to any other law; +and why it has been the pleasure of the almighty +Architect of that universe, that the orbits of the +planets should be nearly circular instead of approaching +to, or being exactly the same with many +other trajectories of a nearly similar form, though +of other properties; nay, instead of being curves +of a wholly different class and shape. Yet we +never doubt that there was a reason for this choice; +nay, we fancy it possible that even on earth we +may hereafter understand it more clearly than we +now do: and never question that in another state +of being we may be permitted to enjoy the contemplation +of it. Why should we doubt that, at +least in that higher state, we may also be enabled +to perceive such an arrangement as shall make +evil wholly disappear from our present system, by +showing that it was necessary and inevitable, even +in the works of the Deity; or, which is the same +thing, that its existence conduces to such a degree +of perfection and happiness upon, the whole, as +could not, even by Omnipotence, be attained without +it; or, which is the same thing, that the whole +creation as it exists, taking both worlds together, is +perfect, and incapable of being in any particular +changed without being made worse and less perfect? +<!-- Page 125 --> +Taking both worlds together—For certainly +were our views limited to the present sublunary +state, we may well affirm that no solution whatever +could even be imagined of the difficulty—if +we are never again to live; if those we here loved +are forever lost to us; if our faculties can receive +no further expansion; if our mental powers are +only trained and improved to be extinguished at +their acme—then indeed are we reduced to the +melancholy and gloomy dilemma of the Epicureans; +and evil is confessed to checker, nay, +almost to cloud over our whole lot, without the +possibility of comprehending why, or of reconciling +its existence with the supposition of a providence +at once powerful and good. But this inference is +also an additional argument for a future state, +when we couple it with these other conclusions +respecting the economy of the world to which we +are led by wholly different routes, when we investigate +the phenomena around us and within us. + +<P>Suppose, for example, it should be found that +there are certain purposes which can in no way +whatever—no conceivable way—be answered except +by placing man in a state of trial or probation; +suppose the essential nature of mind shall +be found to be such that it could not in any way +whatever exist so as to be capable of the greatest +purity and improvement—in other words, the +highest perfection—without having undergone a +<!-- Page 126 --> +probation; or suppose it should be found impossible +to communicate certain enjoyments to rational +and sentient beings without having previously +subjected them to certain trials and certain sufferings—as, +for instance, the pleasures derived from +a consciousness of perfect security, the certainty +that we can suffer and perish no more—this +surely is a possible supposition. Now, to continue +the last example—Whatever pleasure there is in +the contrast between ease and previous vexation +or pain, whatever enjoyment we derive from the +feeling of absolute security after the vexation and +uncertainty of a precarious state, implies a previous +suffering—a previous state of precarious +enjoyment; and not only implies it but necessarily +implies it, so that the power of Omnipotence itself +could not convey to us the enjoyment without +having given us the previous suffering. Then is +it not possible that the object of an all powerful +and perfectly benevolent being should be to create +like beings, to whom as entire happiness, as complete +and perfect enjoyment, should be given as +any created beings—that is, any being, except the +Creator himself—can by possibility enjoy? This +is certainly not only a very possible supposition, +but it appears to be quite consistent with, if it be +not a necessary consequence of, his being perfectly +good as well as powerful and wise. Now we have +shown, therefore, that such being supposed the +<!-- Page 127 --> +design of Providence, even Omnipotence itself +could not accomplish this design, as far as one +great and important class of enjoyments is concerned, +without the previous existence of some +pain, some misery. Whatever gratification arises +from relief—from contrast—from security succeeding +anxiety—from restoration of lost affections—from +renewing severed connections—and +many others of a like kind, could not by any possibility +be enjoyed unless the correlative suffering +had first been undergone. Nor will the argument +be at all impeached by observing, that one Being +may be made to feel the pleasure of ease and security +by seeing others subjected to suffering and +distress; for that assumes the infliction of misery +on those others; it is “<i>alterius</i> spectare laborem” +that we are supposing to be sweet; and this is still +partial evil. + +<P>As the whole argument respecting evil must, +from the nature of the question, resolve itself into +either a proof of some absolute or mathematical +necessity not to be removed by infinite power, or +the showing that some such proof may be possible +although we have not yet discovered it, an illustration +may naturally be expected to be attainable +from mathematical considerations. Thus, we have +already adverted to the law of periodical irregularities +in the solar system. Any one before it +was discovered seemed entitled to expatiate upon +<!-- Page 128 --> +the operation of the disturbing forces arising from +mutual attraction, and to charge the system arranged +upon the principle of universal gravitation +with want of skill, nay, with leading to inevitable +mischief—mischief or evil of so prodigious an extent +as to exceed incalculably all the instances of +evil and of suffering which we see around us in +this single planet. Nevertheless, what then appeared +so clearly to be a defect and an evil, is now +well known to be the very absolute perfection of +the whole heavenly architecture. + +<P>Again, we may derive a similar illustration from +a much more limited instance, but one immediately +connected with strict mathematical reasoning, +and founded altogether in the nature of necessary +truth. The problem has been solved by mathematicians, +Sir Isaac Newton having first investigated +it, of finding the form of a symmetrical +solid, or solid of revolution, which in moving +through a fluid shall experience the least possible +resistance. The figure bears a striking resemblance +to that of a fish. Now suppose a fish were +formed exactly in this shape, and that some animal +endowed with reason were placed upon a portion +of its surface, and able to trace its form for only a +limited extent, say at the narrow part, where the +broad portion or end of the moving body were opposed, +or seemed as if it were opposed, to the surrounding +fluid when the fish moved—the reasoner +<!-- Page 129 --> +would at once conclude that the contrivance of the +fish's form was very inconvenient, and that nothing +could be much worse adapted for expeditious +or easy movement through the waters. + +<P>Yet it is certain that upon being afterwards permitted +to view THE WHOLE body of the fish, what +had seemed a defect and an evil, not only would +appear plainly to be none at all, but it would appear +manifest that this seeming evil or defect was +a part of the most perfect and excellent structure +which it was possible even for Omnipotence and +Omniscience to have adopted, and that no other +conceivable arrangement could by possibility have +produced so much advantage, or tended so much +to fulfill the design in view. Previous to being +enlightened by such an enlarged view of the whole +facts, it would thus be a rash and unphilosophical +thing in the reasoner whose existence we are supposing +to pronounce an unfavorable opinion. Still +more unwise would it be if numerous other observations +had evinced traces of skill and goodness in +the fish's structure. The true and the safe conclusion +would be to suspend an opinion which +could only be unsatisfactorily formed upon imperfect +data; and to rest in the humble hope and belief +that one day all would appear for the best. +<BR><BR> +<CENTER>THE END.</CENTER> +<BR><BR> +<HR> +<A NAME="R1" HREF="#S1">[1]</A> +The “light of revelation,” as well as the “light of the +Christian +religion,” has not dispelled the darkness of ignorance. The torch of +reason is a surer guide.—<i>Pub.</i> +<BR><BR> +<A NAME="R2" HREF="#S2">[2]</A> +The human race has from time immemorial been afflicted with +so-called revelations, all claiming inspiration, all conflicting, and all +being equally “mysterious and obscure.” The wars arising among +these sectarians have retarded civilization, and deluged the earth in +blood. The revelations of science, founded upon reason and demonstration, +have proved the only safe and beneficent guide.—<i>Pub.</i> +<BR><BR> +<A NAME="R3" HREF="#S3">[3]</A> +While it is true that the argument of Design, here given, places +the subject one step in advance, it is still unsatisfactory, because it +fails to explain to us who designed the designer, and the mystery +of creation still remains unsolved. +<BR> “What think you of an uncaused cause of everything?” +is the +pertinent question which Bishop Watson, in his <i>Apology for the +Bible</i>, asked, and vainly asked, of the celebrated deist, Thomas +Paine.—<i>Pub.</i> +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<PRE> +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE FALLEN STAR *** + +This file should be named flnst10h.htm or flnst10h.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, flnst11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, flnst10ah.htm + + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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