Natural Theology. By Professor Pixie. (Blackwood.)—Our interest was keenly excited
by learning from Professor Pirie's preface that he considers "his main argument to be perfect demonstration," "to be as certain as any proposition of geometry." We thought to ourselves, if it only might be so! How we should rejoice as Christians and critics! What honour ought not to be paid to the man who has discovered this "short way with atheists," who has put a final conclusion to controver- sies almost as old as the world ! The reader shall judge of the demon- strative argument for himself, that is, if we have hit upon the right one. It should, to avoid mistakes, have been printed in capitals. It may be thus syllogistically arranged :—Every primary desire has a correlative in which it can find satisfaction. The desire for happiness is a primary desire. Therefore there is a correlative in which the desire for happiness is satisfied. But the only such correlative is the existence of an all- powerful, all-wise, just, and good God. Therefore, there is such a God. We may hope, at least, that this reasoning may appear to others as Con- clusive as it does to its author. If it does, no reward can be too great for Professor Pine.
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