of the attributes of the Deity, and of the perfection of his works as a
whole. Ten additional evidences of his existence.

LETTER VII.-PAGE 120.

Пliberality of Liberalists. Cause and effect treated upon. Motion
further considered. Proof of the transcendent goodness of God. Being
good, he is not to be supposed to cause or even to permit avoidable evil.
Proof of his omnipotence. Being omnipotent, the existence of evil
cannot be attributed to a want of power on his part. Hence it follows,
that he permits it in consequence of his infinite wisdom, seeing it on
the whole to be for the best for himself, in his sphere, not to prevent it.
The ten additional evidences of the Divine Existence considered.

LETTER VIII.-PAGE 141.

Specimen of the integrity and moral principle of Sceptics. Evidence
of cause. Difference between optimism, and a system of the highest
wisdom including real evil. The God of nature and the God of the
Jews the same. The permission of evil no evidence of a deficiency of
goodness or power in him, but to be attributed to his infinite wisdom.
His own glory the chief object to be consulted. Demonstration that
this could not be fully displayed, without the existence of sin and its
consequent misery. Other reasons for the existence of these. Divine
wisdom displayed in the existence of natural evil. The ten evidences
of the Divine existence further considered. Evidences of the Divine
unity.

LETTER IX.-PAGE 163.

Integrity of Sceptics. The Editor and Printer of "Priestcraft Ex-
posed." Difference between optimism, and the system that admits
real evil. God's glory the great object in his creating other beings.
This glory the principal item in that "great whole" which is signified
by the phrase, "all things considered." The ten evidences again.

LETTER X.-PAGE 185.

Sceptics deficient in
exercise of this virtue.
dences of Christianity.

moral courage.

Christianity insists on the
Sceptics do not thoroughly examine the evi-
The divine glory again. Further considera-

tion of the ten evidences. Recapitulation of the discussion.

ROBERT DALE OWEN'S TEN LETTERS.

LETTER I.-PAGE, 13.

Acceptance of O. Bacheler's proposal.-Object, the discovery of
truth. Unpopular opinions most likely to be held in sincerity. Question
stated. No evidence perceived on which to affirm or deny the existence
of beings superior to man. If a God exist, it is not his will that we
should know any thing about him. He holds the power to reveal

himself at any moment. Cannot be angry therefore that we should not know him. A being cannot be glorified by his inferior. The created being not reasonably accountable to the Creator, but rather the contrary.

LETTER II.-PAGE. 23.

An insincere man, one who professes what he does not believe. All men and women in one sense Atheists. The universe a proof of its own existence only. Attempt to supply a last link when we cannot discover one. No analogy between the maker of a chair and of a universe. The Highlander's ideas of a watch. If the mind of man indicates design, the mind of the Creator must exhibit much more. The difficulty increased rather than diminished by the hypothesis.

LETTER III.-PAGE 37.

Easy to trust and believe. Youth doubts and mistrusts slowly. Man apt to pretend to superhuman knowledge. Socrates accused of atheism because he confessed he knew nothing. A belief of wilful scepticism, common and fashionable. Design proves man's agency only in as far as we see and know it. Examination of the argument deduced from analogy. No idea to be formed of how God exists; experience, analogy, and conception, desert us. Difference consists in asserting less, not in denying more. Unreasonable demand of Christians. Mockery of language and of human reason. Dreams and imaginations of unseen existences, idle.

LETTER IV.-PAGE 60.

Inconsistent mysteries, not the fear of judgment, the source of scepticism. Analogy, a convenient guide upon earth, but cannot be stretched to heaven. Not to admit one mystery, because we cannot explain another. Some plain questions. Picture of human wretchedness and misery. Dilemma of the believer, as knotty as it is old. Our senses must determine what is good, and what is evil. Misery in the world, a suflicient proof of blindness and ignorance.

LETTER V.-PAGE 91.

Stories of Sceptics renouncing scepticism, unworthy of credit. Definition of attraction. Whole argument regarding design, comprised within a nut-shell; examination of it. We judge of others, from what we feel and know of ourselves. The evidence of human intelligence no proof in the case of Deity. Contrast between them exhibited. Judgment suspended in default of evidence. Admission of premises, but objection to the conclusion. Sagacity of a clerical commentator. Necessity of consistency and fair dealing in an opponent. Glaring outrage upon them. Plato's opinion of God and matter. Religionists Atheists in the opinion of each other. Progressive improvement of the world. Much of happiness to be met with as it is. Man's errors and ignorance the chief impediments to greater enjoyments.

LETTER VI.-PAGE 112.

Silence in those who have once spoken boldly, construed into assent. Orthodox influence may starve a man. Meaning of the terms cause

and effect. Uniform precedence and uniform sequence constitute
cause and effect. Illustration. Man's agency uniformly precedes
artificial design; no such proof in relation to deity. Motion distinct from
matter, no existence. Strange idea of omnipotence. Almighty unable
to improve the condition of man. Plato's doctrine more rational.

LETTER VII-PAGE 130.

Honesty dangerous, hypocrisy at a premium. Bearing of the
discussion of cause and effect upon the subject. Theological somerset.
Optimism advocated. Famine, pestilence, war, and blood-shed directed
by wisdom, too great for comprehension. The more horrible the
brutality, the stronger the proof of wisdom. Insult to the common sense
of mankind. Blasphemous puerility. Reversion dilemma. Exemp-
tion of ignorance from punishment, a proof of exalted virtue in God.
Imaginary dialogue in another world. Ignorant pretensions to geolo-
gical science. Dangerous subject for theologians. Population of
ancient countries. Strange opinion of Montesquieu. Eternity of the
universe not absurd. Common consent of mankind no proof of truth.
Upsetting of pleasure boats on Sundays.

LETTER VIII.-PAGE 156.

Defence of Sceptics against groundless accusation. Tales of their
conversion often unfounded. Distinction without a difference. Man's
misery and wretchedness God's glory. Duty of a parent to his child.
Disavowal of Deism. Compensating process. Gross misconstruction
of meaning. Bacon's recommendation. Evidences in theology not
tangible. Life springing from inanimate matter.

LETTER IX.-PAGE 174.

Openness and candour to be appreciated before it is demanded.
Persecution of public opinion put down only by moral courage. Scep-
ticism induced from thoughtlessness, sometimes abandoned. Progress
of orthodoxy ostentatiously announced. Novel argument in defence
of a God. Vice necessary to the glory of God that he may show his
mercy in its punishment. O. Bacheler and the caterpillers. Clash-
ing of interests. Bare assertion opposed to matter-of-fact argument.
The world's infancy.

LETTER X.-PAGE 199.

The world's approbation neither courted or contemned. Persecution
of Christians by Sceptics. Ignorance of Hume, Gibbon, and Voltaire.
Heavenly autocrat. Eternal Auto-da-Fe. The ways, thoughts, and
doings of God, nothing in common with ours. Acknowledgment of
Chalmers that reason leads not to a knowledge of God. Opinion of
Paley, Bishop Watson and Arnobius. Atheism never perturbed

states. Liberal sentiment of Dr. Chalmers.