PREFATORY NOTE. THE present volume is closely connected with the work entitled 'Theism,' which was published in 1877. The two works may be regarded as two parts of a system of Natural Theology which is still very far from complete. The chief omission in the present volume relates to Agnosticism. The explanation of the omission is that the author was anxious to avoid, in a semi-popular work, abstruse metaphysical discussion, and has long cherished the hope of being able, at some future time, to publish a historical account and critical examination of the various phases of Modern Agnosticism. He has again to thank Mr James A. Campbell of Stracathro for kindly assisting him in the work of revision. JOHNSTONE LODGE, CRAIGMILLAR PARK, EDINBURGH, 20th May 1879. PREFATORY NOTE TO THIRD EDITION. THE alterations in this edition are chiefly in the literary references. Lecture VII., and the Notes connected with it, have been left unchanged. They may be compared with the very elaborate examination of Sir John Lubbock's views on the atheism of savage peoples in G. Roskoff's 'Religionswesen der Rohesten Naturvölker,' a work published the year after the first edition of the present volume, and in which the results arrived at are precisely those which I had reached. Among the many works which have recently appeared dealing with Theism and Anti-Theism, it is proper to mention at least these three-the 'Philosophical Basis of Theism' (1883) by Professor Samuel Harris of Yale, the 'Philosophy of Theism (1884) by the late Dr Ward, and Modern Theories in Philosophy and Religion' (1885) by Principal Tulloch. JOHNSTONE LODGE, CRAIGMILLAR PARK, |