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The nature of man is thoroughly miserable without God. Some men are not conscious of the cause of this misery this, however, does not prevent the fact of their being miserable. for the most part, they conceal the fact as well as possible from themselves, by occupying their minds with society, sport, frivolity of all kinds or, if intellectually disposed, with science, art, literature, business, etc. This, however, is but to fill the starving belly with husks. I know from experi ence the intellectual distractions of scientific research, philosophical speculation, and artistic pleasures but am also well aware that even when all are taken together and well sweetened to taste, in respect of consequent reputation, means, social position, etc., the whole concoction is but as high confectionary to a starving man. He may cheat himself for a time especially if he be a strong man into the belief that he is nourishing himself by denying his natural appetite but soon finds he was made for some alto gether different kind of food, even though of much less tastefulness as far as the palate is concerned. quotSome men, indeed, never acknowledge this articu- larly or distinctly even to themselves, yet always show it plainly enough to others. Take, e.g., that last in firmity of noble minds. 1 suppose 5 the most exalted and least carnal of worldly joys consists in the adequate recognition ly the world of high achievements quotby ourselves. Yet it is notorious that, It is by God decreed Fame shall not satisfy the highest need. quotIt has been my lot to know not a few of the famous men of our generation, and I have always observed that this is profoundly true. Like all other moral satisfactions, this soonpalls ly custom, and as soon as one end of distinction is reached, another is pined for. There is no finality to rest in, while disease and death are always standing in the lack- ground. Custom may misery, so far wanting yet even Hind men to their own as not to make them realise what is the want is there. quot take it, then, as unquestionably true that this whole negative side of the subject proves a vacuum in the soul of man which nothing can fill save faith in God.quot From quot Thoughts on Religion, quot ly a. J. Romanes, M.A., F.R.S. the late. 15, October 189. I met B last night, and was amazed to see him in clericals, transformed into a clergyman of the Established Church. I had no idea that the event was so near, and I had certainly entertained a lingering hope that he would either reconsider the matter and abandon his intention of seeking ordina tion altogether, or that the Bishops would refuse to accept him. I could not imagine what had brought about this strange and sudden termination to our many discussions and controversies. It seemed but yesterday that he came to me at Oxford, and that he asked me to help him to clear his mind on the intricacies of religious thought. He seemed to be in despair about it all did not know himself what he really believed. He had waded through volumes of High Church theology, had read Driver and Sayce, and the foreign quothigher critics, quot and had sounded the depths of Schleiermacher and of Har- nack. And apparently all without result And, strange thought he had got hold of the notion that I was the only man in Oxford to help him I, a Eoman Catholic and an outsider I was never more astonished in my life...

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