Hæc (inquisitio) quippe prima sapientiæ clavis definitur: assidua scilicet seu frequens interrogatio; . . . Dubitando enim ad inquisitionem venimus, inquirendo veritatem percipimus. ABÉLARD, Sic et Non, p. 16: Ed. Cousin. 'Le Scepticisme est donc le premier pas vers la vérité.' DIDEROT, Pensées Philosophiques. δ ταχὺ ἐμπιστεύων κούφος καρδίᾳ, καὶ ὁ ἁμαρτάνων εἰς ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, πλημμελήσει. Ecclesiasticus, xix. 4. EVENING I. GENERAL CAUSES OF SKEPTICISM. ON the day appointed during the last week in July, the three friends again met at Harrington's house, which was beautifully situated on a plateau sheltered by fir plantations, half-way up a declivity known as Marley-comb Down, and at a point midway between Hilderton and Salisbury. The Rector of Hilderton had driven over Dr. Trevor and his sister--Mrs. Arundel not being able to accompany her husband, owing to the illness of one of her children. It was a lovely summer afternoon, the heat of the sun being tempered by the breezes which blew off the downs, as well as by detachments of light fleecy summer-clouds, the shadows of which followed each other in slow marching order up and down their grassy sides. A forward spring and hot summer had produced an early and abundant harvest, which was already in full operation. Dr. Trevor was never tired of expatiating on the characteristic beauties of the country through which they were passing. 'After all,' said he, 'harvest is the time for Wiltshire. The corn fields, with their rich glow of colour and picturesque groups of harvesters, give precisely that relief to ear and eye which our unwooded and generally silent downs seem to need.' Very true,' answered Arundel; harvest is our best time, though a long residence in South Wiltshire has convinced me, that it is not without its beauties at every season.' TREVOR. Nevertheless, friend Arundel, it holds good of scenery, as of most other objects of human observation: we endue it to a great extent with beauties which our imagination brings to its contemplation. 'Reserve your Skepticism,' laughingly rejoined his friend, 'till after dinner.' During dinner the conversation naturally turned on Dr. Trevor's proposed Skeptical discussions, and Mr. Arundel's suggestion that the ladies should, as he put it, adorn the debates by their presence, even if they did not aid them by their wisdom.' The suggestion was warmly approved by the ladies themselves, especially by Miss Leycester, Mrs. Harrington's sister, who had arrived from Germany the week before. This young lady entered into the scheme con amore; and as a proof of its feasibility, and the propriety of its comprehending ladies, she entertained the company with her experiences in Germany, where after-dinner conversations on Science and Philosophy were as common in educated circles, as they are rare in England. 'You see, Florence,' said her brother-in-law, there is in this difference of national tastes an obvious system of compensation and proportion. The German, after his simple dinner and light wines, is braced up for a discussion on ponderous subjects. The Englishman, after his substantial meal and heavy wines, is naturally unable to do more than aid the circulation of that vapid compound of scandal and inanity which constitutes the staple of English table-talk. Who was it said, "Tell me a man's cookery, and I will tell you his philosophy"?' TREVOR. More than one caustic observer of our species. The close mutual relations of head and stomach have always been a favourite subject for sarcasm among cynics and humourists. MISS LEYCESTER. Whoever he was, he omitted some rather important elements which seem to aid in the determination of a man's philosophical creed. Besides his food, he should have taken into account the man's race, parentage, and constitution, his physical surroundings, climate, scenery, and, I almost think, geological formation as well. I have always had an idea that a history of Philosophy might be written on a sort of geographical or meteorological standard. Skeptics and free-thinkers, e.g. are, so I have been told, natives of countries in which the atmosphere is clear, the sky unclouded, and where distant objects are distinctly defined. Worshippers of Dogma, on the other hand, thrive best in misty cloud-covered countries, in which the horizon of each man does not extend beyond a short distance of his personal presence. This, if true, would account for the 'dim religious light' which extreme dogmatists of every creed consider as the appropriate environment of their worship. ARUNDEL. Of course a Skeptic is a hater of horizons: that a limit should exist, though only apparently, and at the farthest bound of his visual powers, is a thought not to. be borne. MISS LEYCESTER. Perhaps, Mr. Arundel, it is true of limitations of mental as well as of physical vision, that they are only apparent-at least to people who have the hardihood to climb the mountains which bound the view, or to penetrate to the point where the earth seems to touch the sky. HARRINGTON. In some cases you may be right, Florence, certainly not in all. The very raison d'être of the Skeptic consists in the fact that there are very distinct limits to his mental vision, as well as to his other faculties for exploration. The mountains are really impassable, and the distant horizon much too far to be reached by his feeble powers of locomotion; . . . but I confess I have a dislike to discussing a difficult matter informally and out of court;' so, as we appear to have finished dinner, I propose that we adjourn to the study and hear Dr. Trevor's argument on the General Causes of Skepticism. When they had taken their places in the study, Dr. Trevor introduced the subject as follows: 'In this as in all other subjects of science, we must in due form begin with definition. Now, what is Skepticism?' To this question there was for a moment or two no answer: then Miss Trevor replied: 'Skepticism is infidelity, of course.' TREVOR. A natural answer, Louisa, but not quite con |