me that I behold nothing save empty air,--my touch corroborates
the assertion of my eyes,--and yet, . . Science proves to me that
every inch of that arm's length of supposed blank space is filled
with thousands of minute living organisms that no human vision
shall ever be able to note or examine! Wonder not, therefore, that
I decline to express absolute confidence in any fact, however
seemingly obvious, such as that two and two are four, and that I
prefer to say the blood-red color of this river MAY be caused by
an earth-tremor or a land-slip, rather than positively assert that
it MUST be so; though I confess that, as far as my knowledge
guides me, I incline to the belief that 'MUST be' is in this
instance the correct term."

He sighed again, and rubbed his nose perplexedly. Theos glanced at
him curiously, uncertain whether to laugh at or pity him.

"Then the upshot of all your learning, sir, . ." he said, . . "is
that one can never be quite certain of anything?"

"Exactly so!"--replied the pensive sage with a grave shake of his
head,--"Judged by the very finest lines of metaphysical argument,
you cannot really be sure whether you behold in me a Person or a
Phantasm! You THINK you see me,--I THINK I see you,--but after all
it is only an IMPRESSION mutually shared,--an impression which
like many another, less distinct, may be entirely erroneous! Ah,
my dear young sir!--education is advancing at a very rapid rate,
and the art of close analysis is reaching such a pitch of
perfection that I believe we shall soon be able logically to
prove, not only that we do not actually exist, but moreover that
we never have existed! ... And herein, as I consider, will be the