hts,"
"published and glossed by a Canon only after his (Romanes') death." By
means of all this and of a comparison with the "Letters of the
Obscurantists" he wishes to create the suspicion that there might be
question here of forgery. Such an insinuation, (I employ Schmidt's own
words) "cannot be characterized otherwise than as contemptible." "Here
it is even worse than contemptible." I must beg my reader's pardon for
overstepping the bounds of reserve with these caustic words, although
they originated with Schmidt; but really the flush of anger rightfully
mounts to one's cheeks when a man, from the mere fact that he is a
disciple of the "great" Haeckel assumes the right to charge Canon Gore
and indirectly myself with forgery. It is really very significant that
these men should have to resort to such base and despicable expedients
to extricate themselves from their unpleasant predicament. Apart from
this, it was very amusing to me personally to think that for the sake
of my unworthy self, Schmidt should have borrowed from his lord and
master the epithet "pious," which Haeckel in his turn has drawn from
his cherished friend Dodel. In all probability they will continue to
hawk it about in order to bring me into disrepute with the rest of
their kind. The few remarks Schmidt still finds it proper to make
regarding the "Thoughts," betray his inability to understand the book.
But as I stated in the preface it was a difficult book to read and
understand. It is obviously not reading matter for shallow minds. I
refer Schmidt to the biography of Romanes, published by his wife, (The
Life and Letters of G. J. Romanes, London, Longmans, Green & Co.,
1898), where he will find Romanes' religious development described by a
well-informed hand. This development began as early as 1878, hence
during the time of his intimate friendship with Darwin. In this book on
pages 372 and 378 Schmidt will also find the words in which,
_before_ his death, Romanes begged that, if he were personally
unable to publish the "Thoughts," they should be given to his friend
Canon Gore after his own death. But why waste so many words on Mr.
Schmidt, for since all these things must be doubly disagreeable and
painful to him and Haeckel, he will very probably resort without delay
to personal insinuation and accuse Mrs. Romanes of forgery.

To us, however, who thoroughly appreciate the situation, it is a matter
of great moment that of one of the few really eminent n