explore the meaning of a universe to which we
stand in this relation, and the work we have accomplished is the
proper commentary on the methods we have pursued.

Before these methods were adopted the unbridled imagination roamed
through nature, putting in the place of law the figments of
superstitious dread. For thousands of years witchcraft, and magic,
and miracles, and special providences, and Mr. Mozley's 'distinctive
reason of man,' had the world to themselves. They made worse than
nothing of it--_worse_, I say, because they let and hindered those who
might have made something of it. Hence it is, that during a single
lifetime of this era of 'unintelligent impulse,' the progress in
knowledge is all but infinite as compared with that of the ages which
preceded ours.

The believers in magic and miracles of a couple of centuries ago had
all the strength of Mr. Mozley's present logic on their side. They
had done for themselves what he rejoices in having so effectually done
for us--cleared the ground of the belief in the order of nature, and
declared magic, miracles, and witchcraft to be matters for 'ordinary
evidence' to decide. 'The principle of miracles' thus 'befriended'
had free scope, and we know the result. Lacking that rock-barrier of
natural knowledge which we now possess, keen jurists and cultivated
men were hurried on to deeds, the bare recital of which makes the
blood run cold. Skilled in all the rules of human evidence, and
versed in all the arts of cross-examination, these men, nevertheless,
went systematically astray, and committed the deadliest wrongs against
humanity. And why? Because they could not put Nature into the
witness-box, and question her--of her voiceless 'testimony' they knew
nothing. In all cases between man and man, their judgment was to be
relied on; but in all cases between man and nature, they were blind
leaders of the blind. [Footnote: 'In 1664 two women were hung in
Suffolk, under a sentence of Sir Matthew Hale, who took the
opportunity of declaring that the reality of witchcraft was
unquestionable; "for first, the Scriptures had affirmed so much; and
secondly, the wisdom of all nations had provided laws against such
persons, which is an argument of their confidence of such a crime."
Sir Thomas Browne, who was a great physician as well as a great
writer, was called as a witness, and swore "that he was clearly of
opinion that the persons were bewitched."--Lecky's History of