The attitude here indicated is as old as human history. It was old enough for Horace to treat it half in jest. It has been displayed at every step in human progress. There are many of the faithful now who would in their hearts join with Imaum Ali Zadi in placing all human knowledge under the ban. Said the pious Cadi, in refusing an English traveller's request for statistical information, " God created the world, and shall we liken ourselves unto him in seeking to penetrate the mysteries of his creation? Shall we say, behold this star spinneth round that star, and this other star with a tail goeth and cometh in so many years? Let it go! He from whose hand it came will guide and direct it."[1]
On the other hand, those who have not the assurance of faith are mostly indifferent—an indifference which occasionally merges into active hostility—to any attempt to solve the problem.[2] Of this indifference there are no doubt many causes. But there are two that specially concern us. In the first place, the many are indifferent because they have no hope of any result from such an enquiry. The problem is as old as the world; but apart from the claims of revelation, there is nowhere any hint of a solution. But to this it may be answered that there has never yet been any serious attempt to find
