they are not dreaming of offending any one, or interfering with any one;
they are pursuing their own particular line, they have never spoken a word
against any one's religion, whoever he may be, and never mean to do so. It
does not follow that they deny the existence of a God, because they are
not found talking of it, when the topic would be utterly irrelevant. All
they say is, that there are other beings in the world besides the Supreme
Being; their business is with them. After all, the creation is not the
Creator, nor things secular religious. Theology and human science are two
things, not one, and have their respective provinces, contiguous it may be
and cognate to each other, but not identical. When we are contemplating
earth, we are not contemplating heaven; and when we are contemplating
heaven, we are not contemplating earth. Separate subjects should be
treated separately. As division of labour, so division of thought is the
only means of successful application. "Let us go our own way," they say,
"and you go yours. We do not pretend to lecture on Theology, and you have
no claim to pronounce upon Science."

With this feeling they attempt a sort of compromise, between their
opponents who claim for Theology a free introduction into the Schools of
Science, and themselves who would exclude it altogether, and it is this:
viz., that it should remain indeed excluded from the public schools, but
that it should be permitted in private, wherever a sufficient number of
persons is found to desire it. Such persons, they seem to say, may have it
all their own way, when they are by themselves, so that they do not
attempt to disturb a comprehensive system of instruction, acceptable and
useful to all, by the intrusion of opinions peculiar to their own minds.

I am now going to attempt a philosophical answer to this representation,
that is, to the project of teaching secular knowledge in the University
Lecture Room, and remanding religious knowledge to the parish priest, the
catechism, and the parlour; and in doing so, you must pardon me,
Gentlemen, if my subject should oblige me to pursue a lengthy and careful
course of thought, which may be wearisome to the hearer:--I begin then
thus:--

2.

Truth is the object of Knowledge of whatever kind; and when we inquire
what is meant by Truth, I suppose it is right to answer that Truth means
facts and their relations, which stand towards each other pretty much as
subjects and pred