les of
men, the physical philosopher will make good his right to investigate
them. It is perfectly vain to attempt to stop enquiry in this
direction. Depend upon it, if a chemist by bringing the proper
materials together, in a retort or crucible, could make a baby, he
would do it. There is no law, moral or physical, forbidding him to do
it. At the present moment there are, no doubt, persons experimenting
on the possibility of producing what we call life out of inorganic
materials. Let them pursue their studies in peace; it is only by such
trials that they will learn the limits of their own powers and the
operation of the laws of matter and force.

But while thus making the largest demand for freedom of
investigation--while I consider science to be alike powerful as an
instrument of intellectual culture and as a ministrant to the material
wants of men; if you ask me whether it has solved, or is likely in our
day to solve, the problem of this universe, I must shake my head in
doubt. You remember the first Napoleon's question, when the savants
who accompanied him to Egypt discussed in his presence the origin of
the universe, and solved it to their own apparent satisfaction. He
looked aloft to the starry heavens, and said, 'It is all very well,
gentlemen; but who made these?' That question still remains
unanswered, and science makes no attempt to answer it. As far as I
can see, there is no quality in the human intellect which is fit to be
applied to the solution of the problem. It entirely transcends us.
The mind of man may be compared to a musical instrument with a certain
range of notes, beyond which in both directions we have an infinitude
of silence. The phenomena of matter and force lie within our
intellectual range, and as far as they reach we will at all hazards
push our enquiries. But behind, and above, and around all, the real
mystery of this universe lies unsolved, and, as far as we are
concerned, is incapable of solution. Fashion this mystery as you
will, with that I have nothing to do. But let your conception of it
not be an unworthy one. Invest that conception with your highest and
holiest thought, but be careful of pretending to know more about it
than is given to man to know. Be careful, above all things, of
professing to see in the phenomena of the material world the evidences
of Divine pleasure or displeasure. Doubt those who would deduce from
the fall of the tower of Siloam the anger of t