" . . . who of men can tell
That flowers would bloom, or that green fruit would swell
To melting pulp, that fish would have bright mail,
The earth its dower of river, wood, and vale,
The meadows runnels, runnels pebble-stones,
The seed its harvest, or the lute its tones,
Tones ravishment, or ravishment its sweet
If human souls did never kiss and greet?"



BELIEF, UNBELIEF, AND SUPERSTITION



True belief is rare and difficult. There is no security that the
fictitious beliefs which have been obtained by no genuine mental
process, that is to say, are not vitally held, may not be discarded for
those which are exactly contrary. We flatter ourselves that we have
secured a method and freedom of thought which will not permit us to be
the victims of the absurdities of the Middle Ages, but, in fact, there
is no solid obstacle to our conversion to some new grotesque religion
more miraculous than Roman Catholicism. Modern scepticism,
distinguishing it from scholarly scepticism, is nothing but stupidity or
weakness. Few people like to confess outright that they do not believe
in a God, although the belief in a personal devil is considered to be a
sign of imbecility. Nevertheless, men, as a rule, have no ground for
believing in God a whit more respectable than for disbelief in a devil.
The devil is not seen nor is God seen. The work of the devil is as
obvious as that of God. Nay, as the devil is a limited personality,