proposed that he, as editor, should have a certain sum for every hundred
sold above a certain number: the publishers, who did not think there was
any chance of reaching the turning sale of this stipulation, readily
consented. But it turned out that Dr. Lardner saw further than they: the
returns under this stipulation gave him a very handsome addition to his
other receipts. The publishers stared; but they paid. They had no idea of
standing out that the amount was too much for an editor; they knew that,
though the editor had a percentage, they had all the rest; and they would
not have felt aggrieved if he had received ten times as much. But
governments, which cannot be brought to book before a sworn jury, are ruled
only by public opinion. John Palmer's day was also the day of Thomas Fyshe
Palmer,[405] and the governments, in their prosecutions for sedition, knew
that these would have a reflex action upon the minds of all who wrote about
public affairs.

DECLARATION OF BELIEF

1864-65.--It often happens that persons combine to maintain and enforce an
opinion; but it is, in our state of society, a paradox to unite for the
sole purpose of blaming the opposite side. To invite educated men to do
this, and above all, men of learning or science, is the next paradoxical
thing of all. But this was done by a small combination in 1864. They got
together and drew up a _declaration_, to be signed by "students of the
natural sciences," who were to express their "sincere regret that
researches into {255} scientific truth are perverted by some in our own
times into occasion for casting doubt upon the truth and authenticity of
the Holy Scriptures." In words of ambiguous sophistry, they proceeded to
request, in effect, that people would be pleased to adopt the views of
churches as to the _complete_ inspiration of all the canonical books. The
great question whether the Word of God is _in_ the Bible, or whether the
Word of God is _all_ the Bible, was quietly taken for granted in favor of
the second view; to the end that men of science might be induced to blame
those who took the first view. The first public attention was drawn to the
subject by Sir John Herschel,[406] who in refusing to sign the writ sent to
him, administered a rebuke in the _Athenaeum_, which would have opened most
eyes to see that the case was hopeless. The words of a man whose _suaviter
in modo_ makes his _fortiter in re_[407] cut blocks with a razor are worth
preser