Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 21.djvu/790

772 and motion. Given these as distributed through space, and their quantities being unchangeable, either by increase or decrease, there inevitably result the continuous redistributions distinguishable as evolution and dissolution, as well as all those special traits above enumerated.

"'16. That which persists unchanging in quantity but ever changing in form, under these sensible appearances which the universe presents to us, transcends human knowledge and conception—is an unknown and unknowable power, which we are obliged to recognize as without limit in space and without beginning or end in time.'

"I am not aware that my father entertained any of these views, either definitely or vaguely. But if he did, or if under his influence you reached views similar to these or any of them, it will, I presume, be possible to indicate the resemblances. Or, if specific resemblances are not alleged, still it will be possible to point out what were the ideas you received from him which potentially involved conclusions such as are above set forth.

"I fear I am entailing some trouble upon you in asking an answer to this question, but the importance of the matter must be my apology.

2em

In Mr. Mozley's reply he stated that he had been obliged already to send off his corrections for a second edition, adding that, "as, therefore, nothing can be done now, you would not care for any discussion." The result is, that I remain without any reply to my question. One passage, however, in Mr. Mozley's letter serves to give a widely different meaning to his statement; and, having obtained his permission, I here quote it as follows: "You will observe that I have only a vague idea of my own c philosophy,' and I can not pretend to an accurate knowledge of yours. I spoke of a 'family likeness.' But what is that? There is a family likeness between Cardinal Newman's view and his brother Frank's."

Now, if the "family likeness" alleged is not greater than that between the belief of a Roman Catholic and the belief of a Rationalist who retains his theism, my chief objection is removed; for just as the views of the brothers Newman have a certain kinship in virtue of the religious sentiment common to them, so Mr. Mozley's early views and my own may have had the common trait of naturalistic interpretation—partially carried out in the one and completely in the other: a common trait, however, which would give Mr. Mozley's early views a "family likeness" to other philosophies than mine. This being understood, the only further objection to Mr. Mozley's statement which I have to make is that I do not see how, even in this vague sense, a likeness can be alleged between that which he names and describes as "a moral philosophy" and "a system of philosophy" of which the greater part is concerned with the phenomena of evolution at large—inorganic, organic, and super-organic—as interpreted on physical