[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "sescrAroal
*Sre,—As Mr. Gallon, in your last issue, anticipated "those who might answer him in your columns," I ask the opportunity for myself. My object in writing is not to argue with Mr. Gallon, but to place before your readers a denial in foto of both the pro- positions enunciated in his last letter.
Mr. Galton asserts first "that the desire to pray is not one of these [i.e., intuitive] feelings." Then may I ask, how does he explain the fact of almost universal prayer? Were the nations of .antiquity taught to pray by missionaries? And how is it that the -" converted heathen" of to-day has to be taught to transfer his petitions from his idol to the Christians' God?
Mr. Galton's second proposition is that the strength (I prefer the simpler expression) of the observation of facts is greater than intuition. And he illustrates by referring to the suppression of the belief in witchcraft, auguries, ordeal, exorcisms, &c. I deny that these beliefs are intuitive. How can they be so, when a cer- tain machinery is necessary in their working, which an untaught person would no more resort to than to the intricate performances -of the Ritualists of the present day.—I am, Sir, &c., ' ONE WHO PRAYS.
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