uments
in support of the statement in the text; and the final result of the
references is, that the alleged 'demonstration' is, at the most,
what Scholten calls 'a not groundless conjecture.'" [98:1]

It is scarcely possible to imagine a more complete misrepresentation of
the fact than the assertion that "Volkmar alone offers any arguments in
support of the statement in the text," and it is incomprehensible upon
any ordinary theory. My mere sketch cannot possibly convey an adequate
idea of the elaborate arguments of Volkmar, Baur, and Hilgenfeld, but
I hope to state their main features, a few pages on. With regard to
Dr. Westcott's remark on the "alleged 'demonstration,'" it must be
evident that when a writer states anything to be "demonstrated" he
expresses his own belief. It is impossible to secure absolute unanimity
of opinion, and the only question in such a case is whether I refer
to writers, in connection with the circumstances which I affirm to
be demonstrated, who advance arguments and evidence bearing upon it.
A critic is quite at liberty to say that the arguments are insufficient,
but he is not at liberty to deny that there are any arguments at all
when the elaborate reasoning of men like Volkmar, Baur, and Hilgenfeld
is referred to. Therefore, when he goes on to say:

"It seems quite needless to multiply comments on these results.
Anyone who will candidly consider this analysis will, I believe,
agree with me in thinking that such a style of annotation, which
runs through the whole work, is justly characterised as frivolous
and misleading"--[99:1]

Dr. Westcott must excuse my retorting that, not my annotation, but his
own criticism of it, endorsed by Professor Lightfoot, is "frivolous and
misleading," and I venture to hope that this analysis, tedious as it has
been, may once for all establish the propriety and substantial accuracy
of my references.

As Dr. Westcott does not advance any further arguments of his own in
regard to the Ignatian controversy, I may now return to Dr. Lightfoot,
and complete my reply to his objections; but I must do so with extreme
brevity, as I have already devoted too much space to this subject, and
must now come to a close. To the argument that it is impossible to
suppose that soldiers such as the "ten leopards" described in the
Epistles would allow a prisoner, condemned to wild beasts for professing
Christianity, deliberately to write long epistl