human
I have now to complain of something still worse than that the Bishop should have forgotten his Bible, entirely ignored the Thirty-Nine Articles, and occasionally in the hurry of rapid speech contradicted his previous sentences. All these are matters at which, in even an extraordinary man burdened with a bishop's dignity, we need not wonder at all; but when we find him blundering in metaphysics, when we find him making mistakes which a man versed in the merest rudiments of Mill or the Scotch and German metaphysicians would not make--when we find the Bishop so blundering, either wilfully or ignorantly, it puts me in a position of extreme difficulty.
gpt
Bishop Butler's argument on the doctrine of necessity is that which one might expect from a hired _nisi prius_ advocate, but which is read with regret coming from a gentleman who ought to be striving to convince his erring brethren by the words of truth alone.
human
Oxford House Papers, one of them, Dr Paget, writes:--
gpt
I trust that you will let me first acknowledge with gratitude and respect the temperate and courteous character of your criticism. Believe me, I sincerely appreciate it. It may not be out of place to remark that the
human
Oxford House Papers were in the opinion of some readers inexpressibly poor stuff, respectful comment on which, in a busy world, was an excess of consideration. And this careful courtesy was not at all, as some have supposed, a late development in him. It is a complete error to suppose that he began by being violent, and only acquired suavity after much experience. It has been suggested on this head that he was softened by the generosity with which some Christians, such as Bright, latterly stood by him against the attacks of the bigots. But while it is quite true that he greatly appreciated this, and while it is further true that he found some of his very basest enemies in professed Freethinkers of the
gpt
Agnostic