But I find I have suddenly slipped off Mr. Harrison’s tripod, which I had borrowed for the occasion.  The fact is, I am not equal to the prophetical business, and ought not to have undertaken it.

* * * * *

[It did not occur to me, while writing the latter part of this essay, that it could be needful to disclaim the intention of putting the religious system of Comte on a level with Mormonism.  And I was unaware of the fact that Mr. Harrison rejects the greater part of the Positivist Religion, as taught by Comte.  I have, therefore, erased one or two passages, which implied his adherence to the “Religion of Humanity” as developed by Comte, 1893.]

FOOTNOTES: 

     [51] See the Official Report of the Church Congress held
          at Manchester, October 1888, pp. 253, 254.

     [52] In this place and in the eleventh essay, there are
          references to the late Archbishop of York which are of
          no importance to my main argument, and which I have
          expunged because I desire to obliterate the traces of a
          temporary misunderstanding with a man of rare ability,
          candour, and wit, for whom I entertained a great liking
          and no less respect.  I rejoice to think now of the
          (then) Bishop’s cordial hail the first time we met
          after our little skirmish, “Well, is it to be peace or
          war?” I replied, “A little of both.”  But there was only
          peace when we parted, and ever after.

     [53] Dr. Wace tells us, “It may be asked how far we can rely
          on the accounts we possess of our Lord’s teaching on
          these subjects.”  And he seems to think the question
          appropriately answered by the assertion that it “ought
          to be regarded as settled by M. Renan’s practical
          surrender of the adverse case.”  I thought I knew M.
          Renan’s works pretty well, but I have contrived to miss
          this “practical” (I wish Dr. Wace had defined the scope
          of that useful adjective) surrender.  However, as Dr.
          Wace can find no difficulty in pointing out the passage
          of M. Renan’s writings, by which he feels justified in
          making his statement, I shall wait for further
          enlightenment, contenting myself, for the present, with
          remarking that if M. Renan were to retract and do
          penance in Notre-Dame to-morrow for any contributions
          to Biblical criticism that may be specially his
          property, the main results of that criticism, as they
          are set forth in the works of Strauss, Baur, Reuss, and
          Volkmar, for example, would not be sensibly affected.

     [54] See De Gobineau, Les Religions et les Philosophies
          dans l’Asie Centrale; and the recently published work
          of Mr. E.G.  Browne, The Episode of the Bab.