interpretations. But assuredly, in the face of such
contradictions of authority upon matters respecting which he is
incompetent to form any judgment, he will abstain, as I do, from giving
any opinion.

In the third place, I have carefully abstained from speaking of this as
the Mosaic doctrine, because we are now assured upon the authority of the
highest critics, and even of dignitaries of the Church, that there is no
evidence that Moses wrote the Book of Genesis, or knew anything about it.
You will understand that I give no judgment--it would be an impertinence
upon my part to volunteer even a suggestion--upon such a subject. But,
that being the state of opinion among the scholars and the clergy, it is
well for the unlearned in Hebrew lore, and for the laity, to avoid
entangling themselves in such a vexed question. Happily, Milton leaves us
no excuse for doubting what he means, and I shall therefore be safe in
speaking of the opinion in question as the Miltonic hypothesis.

Now we have to test that hypothesis. For my part, I have no prejudice one
way or the other. If there is evidence in favor of this view, I am
burdened by no theoretical difficulties in the way of accepting it; but
there must be evidence. Scientific men get an awkward habit--no, I won't
call it that, for it is a valuable habit--of believing nothing unless
there is evidence for it; and they have a way of looking upon belief which
is not based upon evidence, not only as illogical, but as immoral. We
will, if you please, test this view by the circumstantial evidence alone;
for, from what I have said, you will understand that I do not propose to
discuss the question of what testimonial evidence is to be adduced in
favor of it. If those whose business it is to judge are not at one as to
the authenticity of the only evidence of that kind which is offered, nor
as to the facts to which it bears witness, the discussion of such evidence
is superfluous. But I may be permitted to regret this necessity of
rejecting the testimonial evidence the less, because the examination of
the circumstantial evidence leads to the conclusion, not only that it is
incompetent to justify the hypothesis, but that, so far as it goes, it is
contrary to the hypothesis.

The considerations upon which I base this conclusion are of the simplest
possible character. The Miltonic hypothesis contains assertions of a very
definite character relating to the succession of living forms. It is
s