in the logical _Sorites_ which I have been
drawing out, I anticipated just now what I should say to it in reply. I
repeat, doubtless "beggary," as the wise man says, is not desirable;
doubtless, if men will not work, they should not eat; there is doubtless a
sense in which it may be said that mere social or political virtue tends
to moral and religious excellence; but the sense needs to be defined and
the statement to be kept within bounds. This is the very point on which I
am all along insisting. I am not denying, I am granting, I am assuming,
that there is reason and truth in the "leading ideas," as they are called,
and "large views" of scientific men; I only say that, though they speak
truth, they do not speak the whole truth; that they speak a narrow truth,
and think it a broad truth; that their deductions must be compared with
other truths, which are acknowledged to be truths, in order to verify,
complete, and correct them. They say what is true, _exceptis excipiendis_;
what is true, but requires guarding; true, but must not be ridden too
hard, or made what is called a _hobby_; true, but not the measure of all
things; true, but if thus inordinately, extravagantly, ruinously carried
out, in spite of other sciences, in spite of Theology, sure to become but
a great bubble, and to burst.

13.

I am getting to the end of this Discourse, before I have noticed one tenth
part of the instances with which I might illustrate the subject of it.
Else I should have wished especially to have dwelt upon the not unfrequent
perversion which occurs of antiquarian and historical research, to the
prejudice of Theology. It is undeniable that the records of former ages
are of primary importance in determining Catholic doctrine; it is
undeniable also that there is a silence or a contrariety abstractedly
conceivable in those records, as to an alleged portion of that doctrine,
which would be sufficient to invalidate its claims on our acceptance; but
it is quite as undeniable that the existing documentary testimony to
Catholicism and Christianity may be so unduly valued as to be made the
absolute measure of Revelation, as if no part of theological teaching were
true which cannot bring its express text, as it is called, from Scripture,
and authorities from the Fathers or profane writers,--whereas there are
numberless facts in past times which we cannot deny, for they are
indisputable, though history is silent about them. I suppose, on t