“It certainly was.”

“He was right, then, in rejecting the fact; that is, he was right in rejecting the possibility of such an occurrence,” said Harrington.

“But did we not ourselves say, with Hume, that, as we see that there is not an absolute uniformity in the phenomena of nature, but that they are varied within certain limits in different climates and countries, so it does not become us to say that a phenomenon, though somewhat variable, is a violation of the usual order of sequences?”

“We did; but we also agreed, I think, that those variations were to be within invariable limits, as tested by the whole of our experience; we did not include within those variations what is diametrically contrary (as in the present case) to all our own experience and that of every body about us.  If it is to extend to such variations, what do we say but this,—­that the order of nature is uniform and invariable, except where—­it is the reverse? and, as it seems it sometimes is so, see what comes of the admission.  A man asserts the reality of a miracle which you reject at once as simply impossible, as contrary to your experience and that of every one whose experience you can test.  It will be easy for him to say, and upon Hume’s evasion he will say, that it was performed, for aught you know, under conditions so totally different from those which ordinarily obtain in relation to the same order of events, that you are no adequate judge as to whether it was possible or not.  He acknowledges that a miracle is a very rare occurrence; that it is performed for special ends; is strictly limited to time and place, like those phenomena the Indian prince was asked to believe; and that your experience cannot embrace it, nor is warranted in pronouncing upon it.  I really fear that, if our incredulous prince is to be condemned, our principle will be ruined.  I am anxious for his safe deliverance, I assure you.”

“Still I cannot see that we can deny that phenomena may be manifested, in virtue of the laws of nature, totally different from those which we have ever seen or heard of.”

“What! so different that the phenomena in question shall be a total departure from that order of nature of which alone we and all about us are cognizant; in fact, all but the one man, who tells us the strange thing, we being at the same time totally incapable of testing his experience?”

“Yes,” said Fellowes; “I must grant it.”

“I see,” said Harrington, “you are bent on the destruction of our criterion.  Do you not perceive that, if our experience and that of the immense majority, or of all about us, be not a sufficient criterion of the laws of nature, our argument falls to the ground?  ‘Your principle,’ our adversaries will say, ’is a fallacious one; Nature has her laws, no doubt, which apply to miracles as to every other phenomenon; but in assuming your experience to be a sufficient criterion of these laws, you have been, not interpreting her laws, but imposing