-times of civilisation. And it is rather singular that he should
pick out the age immediately preceding the advent of Christianity.
Whatever fault is in Atheism, it is no danger to human society. This
is Lord Bacon's judgment, and we commend it to the attention of the
fanatics of faith, who point to Atheism as a horrid monster, fraught
with cruelty, bloodshed, and social disruption.

Coming now to Lord Bacon's essay on Atheism itself, we find him opening
it with a very pointed utterance of Theism. "I had rather," he says,
"believe all the fables in the legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran,
than that this universal frame is without a mind." The expression is
admirable, but the philosophy is doubtful. When a man says he would
_rather_ believe one thing than another, he is merely exhibiting
a personal preference. Real belief is not a matter of taste; it is
determined by evidence--if not absolutely, at least as far as our power
of judgment carries us.

"A little philosophy," his lordship says, "inclineth man's mind
to Atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to
religion." The reason he assigns is, that when we no longer rest in
second causes, but behold "the chain of them confederate, and linked
together," we must needs "fly to providence and Deity." The necessity,
however, is far from obvious. All the laws, as we call them, of all the
sciences together, do not contain any new principle in their addition.
Universal order is as consistent with Materialism as with Theism. It
is easy to say that "God never wrought miracles to convince Atheism,
because his ordinary works convince it"; but, as a matter of fact, it
is the God of Miracles in whom the multitude have always believed. A
special providence, rather than a study of the universe, has been the
secret of their devotion to "the unseen."

Lord Bacon drops below the proper level of his genius in affirming that
"none deny there is a God, but those for whom it maketh that there
were no God." This is but a milder expression of the incivility of the
Psalmist. It is finely rebuked by the atheist Monk in the play of "Sir
William Crichton," the work of a man of great though little recognised
genius--William Smith.

For ye who deem that one who lacks of faith Is therefore
conscience-free, ye little know How doubt and sad denial may enthral him
To the most timid sanctity of life.

Lord Bacon, indeed, rather doubts the existence of the positive Atheist.

"I