Whileonesuccessionofstrongmenwerethusdevelopingchemistryoutofoneformofmagic，anothersuccessionweredevelopingphysicsoutofanotherform。
Firstinthislattersuccessionmaybementionedthatlineofthinkerswhodivinedandreasonedoutgreatphysicallaws——alineextendingfromGalileoandKeplerandNewtontoOhmandFaradayandJouleandHelmholtz。These，byrevealingmoreandmoreclearlythereignoflaw，steadilyunderminedtheoldertheologicalviewofarbitraryinfluenceinnature。Nextshouldbementionedthelineofprofoundobservers，fromGalileoandTorricellitoKelvin。Thesehaveasthoroughlyunderminedtheoldtheologicsubstitutionofphrasesforfacts。WhenGalileodroppedthedifferingweightsfromtheLeaningTowerofPisa，hebegantheendofAristotelianauthorityinphysics。WhenTorricellibalancedacolumnofmercuryagainstacolumnofwaterandeachoftheseagainstacolumnofair，heendedthetheologicphrasethat“natureabhorsavacuum。”WhenNewtonapproximatelydeterminedthevelocityofsound，heendedthetheologicargumentthatweseetheflashbeforeweheartheroarbecause“sightisnoblerthanhearing。”WhenFranklinshowedthatlightningiscausedbyelectricity，andOhmandFaradayprovedthatelectricityobeysascertainedlaws，theyendedthetheologicalideaofadivinityseatedabovethecloudsandcastingthunderbolts。
Resultingfromthelabourofboththesebranchesofphysicalscience，wehavetheestablishmentofthegreatlawsoftheindestructibilityofmatter，thecorrelationofforces，andchemicalaffinity。Therebyisended，withvariousothersacredtraditions，thetheologicaltheoryofavisibleuniversecreatedoutofnothing，sofirmlyimbeddedinthetheologicalthoughtoftheMiddleAgesandintheWestminsterCatechism。[283]
[283]Forareappearanceofthefundamentaldoctrinesofblackmagicamongtheologians，seeRev。Dr。Jewett，ProfessorofPastoralTheologyintheProt。Episc。Gen。Theolog。SeminaryofNewYork，Diabolology：ThePersonandtheKingdomofSatan，NewYork，1889。Fortheirappearanceamongtheosophists，seeEliphasLevi，HistoiredelaMagie，especiallythefinalchapters。ForoppositiontoBoyleandchemistrystudiesatOxfordinthelatterhalfoftheseventeenthcentury，seetheaddressofProf。Dixon，F。R。S。，beforetheBritishAssociation，1894。Fortherecentprogressofchemistry，andoppositiontoitsearlierdevelopmentatOxford，seeLordSalisbury’saddressasPresidentoftheBritishAssociation，in1894。FortheProtestantsurvivalofthemediaevalassertionthattheuniversewascreatedoutofnothing，seetheWestminsterCatechism，question15。
Inourowntimesomeattempthasbeenmadetorenewthiswaragainstthephysicalsciences。JosephdeMaistre，utteringhishatredofthem，declaringthatmankindhaspaidtoodearlyforthem，assertingthattheymustbesubjectedtotheology，likeningthemtofire——goodwhenconfinedanddangerouswhenscatteredabout——hasbeenoneofthemainleadersamongthosewhocannotrelinquishtheideathatourbodyofsacredliteratureshouldbekeptacontrollingtext-bookofscience。Theonlyeffectofsuchteachingshasbeentoweakenthelegitimateholdofreligionuponmen。
InCatholiccountriesexertionhasoflateyearsbeenmainlyconfinedtoexcludingscienceordilutingitinuniversityteachings。EarlyinthepresentcenturyagreateffortwasmadebyFerdinandVIIofSpain。HesimplydismissedthescientificprofessorsfromtheUniversityofSalamanca，anduntilarecentperiodtherehasbeengeneralexclusionfromSpanishuniversitiesofprofessorsholdingtotheNewtonianphysics。So，too，thecontemporaryEmperorofAustriaattemptedindirectlysomethingofthesamesort；andatastilllaterperiodPopesGregoryXVIandPiusIXdiscouraged，iftheydidnotforbid，themeetingsofscientificassociationsinItaly。InFrance，warbetweentheologyandscience，whichhadlongbeensmouldering，cameintheyears1867and1868toanoutbreak。Towardtheendofthelastcentury，aftertheChurchhadheldpossessionofadvancedinstructionformorethanathousandyears，andhad，sofarasitwasable，keptexperimentalscienceinservitude——afterithadhumiliatedBuffoninnaturalscience，thrownitsweightagainstNewtoninthephysicalsciences，andwreckedTurgot’snobleplansforasystemofpublicinstruction——theFrenchnationdecreedtheestablishmentofthemostthoroughandcompletesystemofhigherinstructioninscienceeverknown。ItwaskeptunderlaycontrolandbecameoneofthegloriesofFrance；but，emboldenedbytherestorationoftheBourbonsin1815，theChurchbegantounderminethishatedsystem，andin1868hadmadesuchprogressthatallwasreadyforthefinalassault。
ForemostamongtheleadersofthebesiegingpartywastheBishopofOrleans，Dupanloup，amanofmanywinningcharacteristicsandofgreatoratoricalpower。Invariousways，andespeciallyinanopenletter，hehadfoughtthe“materialism“ofscienceatParis，andespeciallywerehisattackslevelledatProfs。VulpianandSeeandtheMinisterofPublicinstruction，Duruy，amanofgreatmerit，whoseonlycrimewasdevotiontotheimprovementofeducationandtothepromotionofthehighestresearchinscience。[284]
[284]FortheexertionsoftherestoredBourbonstocrushtheuniversitiesofSpain，seeHubbard，Hist。Contemporainedel’Espagne，Paris，1878，chaps。iandii。ForDupanloup，LettreaunCardinal，seetheRevuedeTherapeutiqueof1868，p。221。
Themainattackwasmaderatheruponbiologicalsciencethanuponphysicsandchemistry，yetitwasclearthatallwereinvolvedtogether。
ThefirstonslaughtwasmadeintheFrenchSenate，andthestormingpartyinthatbodywasledbyavenerableandconscientiousprelate，CardinaldeBonnechose，ArchbishopofRouen。ItwaschargedbyhimandhispartythatthetendenciesofthehigherscientificteachingatPariswerefataltoreligionandmorality。Heavymissileswerehurled——suchphrasesas“sappingthefoundations。”“breakingdownthebulwarks。”andthelike；and，withal，anewmissilewasusedwithmucheffect——theepithet“materialist。”
Theresultscanbeeasilyguessed：crowdscametothelecture-roomsoftheattackedprofessors，andthelecture-roomofProf。See，thechiefoffender，wascrowdedtosuffocation。
Asiegewasbegunindueform。Ayoungphysicianwassentbythecardinal’spartyintotheheterodoxcampasaspy。HavingheardonelectureofProf。See，hereturnedwithinformationthatseemedtopromiseeasyvictorytothebesiegingparty：hebroughtaterriblestatement——onethatseemedenoughtooverwhelmSee，Vulpian，Duruy，andthewholehatedsystemofpublicinstructioninFrance——thestatementthatSeehaddeniedtheexistenceofthehumansoul。
CardinalBonnechoseseizedthetremendousweaponatonce。RisinginhisplaceintheSenate，helaunchedamosteloquentinvectiveagainsttheMinisterofStatewhocouldprotectsuchafortressofimpietyastheCollegeofMedicine；and，asaclimax，heasserted，ontheevidenceofhisspyfreshfromProf。See’slecture-room，thattheprofessorhaddeclared，inhislectureofthedaybefore，thatsolongashehadthehonourtoholdhisprofessorshiphewouldcombatthefalseideaoftheexistenceofthesoul。Theweaponseemedresistlessandthewoundfatal，butM。Duruyroseandaskedtobeheard。
HisstatementwassimplythatheheldinhishanddocumentaryproofsthatProf。Seenevermadesuchadeclaration。HeheldthenotesusedbyProf。Seeinhislecture。Prof。See，itappeared，belongedtoaschoolinmedicalsciencewhichcombatedcertainideasregardingmedicineasanART。Theinflamedimaginationofthecardinal’sheresy-huntingemissaryhad，asthelecture-notesproved，ledhimtomistaketheword“art“for“ame。”andtoexhibitProf。Seeastreatingatheologicalwhenhewasdiscussingapurelyscientificquestion。Oftheexistenceofthesoultheprofessorhadsaidnothing。
Theforcesoftheenemywereimmediatelyturned；theyretreatedinconfusion，amidthelaughterofallFrance；andaquiet，dignifiedstatementastotherightsofscientificinstructorsbyWurtz，deanofthefaculty，completedtheirdiscomfiture。Thusawell-meantattempttochecksciencesimplyendedinbringingridiculeonreligion，andinthrustingstilldeeperintothemindsofthousandsofmenthatmostmistakenofallmistakenideas：theconvictionthatreligionandscienceareenemies。[285]
[285]ForageneralaccountoftheVulpianandSeematter，seeRevuedesDeuxMondes，31mai，1868，“ChroniquedelaQuinzaine。”
pp。763-765。Astotheresultonpopularthought，maybenotedthefollowingcommentontheaffairbytheRevue，whichisasfreeaspossiblefromanythinglikerabidanti-ecclesiasticalideas：“Elleaetevraimentcurieuse，instructive，asseztristeetmemeunpeuamusante。”ForWurtz’sstatement，seeRevuedeTherapeutiquefor1868，p。303。
ButjusticeforbidsraisinganoutcryagainstRomanCatholicismforthis。In1864anumberofexcellentmeninEnglanddrewupadeclarationtobesignedbystudentsinthenaturalsciences，expressing“sincereregretthatresearchesintoscientifictrutharepervertedbysomeinourtimeintooccasionforcastingdoubtuponthetruthandauthenticityoftheHolyScriptures。”NinetenthsoftheleadingscientificmenofEnglandrefusedtosignit；norwasthisall：SirJohnHerschel，SirJohnBowring，andSirW。R。Hamiltonadministered，throughthepress，castigationswhichrousedgeneralindignationagainsttheproposersofthecircular，andProf。DeMorgan，byaparody，coveredmemorialandmemorialistswithridicule。Itwastheoldmistake，andtheoldresultfollowedinthemindsofmultitudesofthoughtfulyoungmen。[286]
[286]DeMorgan，Paradoxes，pp。421-428；alsoDaubeny’sEssays。
AndinyetanotherProtestantcountrythissamemistakewasmade。
In1868severalexcellentchurchmeninPrussiathoughtittheirdutytomeetforthedenunciationof“sciencefalselysocalled。”
Tworesultsfollowed：uponthegreatmajorityofthesereallyself-sacrificingmen——whosefirstutterancesshowedcompleteignoranceofthetheoriestheyattacked——therecamequietandwidespreadcontempt；uponPastorKnak，whostoodforthandproclaimedviewsoftheuniversewhichhethoughtscriptural，butwhichmostschoolboysknewtobechildish，cameaburstofgood-naturedderisionfromeveryquarteroftheGermannation。[287]
[287]SeetheBerlinnewspapersforthesummerof1868，especiallyKladderdatsch。
Butinallthegreatermodernnationswarfareofthiskind，afterthefirstquarterofthenineteenthcentury，becamemoreandmorefutile。WhileconscientiousRomanbishops，andnolessconscientiousProtestantclergymeninEuropeandAmericacontinuedtoinsistthatadvancededucation，notonlyinliteraturebutinscience，shouldbekeptundercarefulcontrolintheirownsectarianuniversitiesandcolleges，wretchedlyone-sidedinorganizationandinadequateinequipment；whileCatholicclericalauthoritiesinSpainwererejectingallprofessorsholdingtheNewtoniantheory，andinAustriaandItalyallholdingunsafeviewsregardingtheImmaculateConception，andwhileProtestantclericalauthoritiesinGreatBritainandAmericawerekeepingoutofprofessorshipsmenholdingunsatisfactoryviewsregardingtheIncarnation，orInfantBaptism，ortheApostolicSuccession，orOrdinationbyElders，orthePerseveranceoftheSaints；andwhilebothCatholicandProtestantecclesiasticswereopenlyorsecretlyweedingoutofuniversityfacultiesallwhoshowedwillingnesstoconsiderfairlytheideasofDarwin，amovementwasquietlyinprogressdestinedtotakeinstruction，andespeciallyinstructioninthephysicalandnaturalsciences，outofitsoldsubordinationtotheologyandecclesiasticism。[288]
[288]WhatevermaybethoughtofthesystemofphilosophyadvocatedbyPresidentMcCoshatPrinceton，everythinkingmanmusthonorhimforthelargewayinwhichhe，atleast，brokeawayfromthetraditionsofthatcentreofthought；prevented，sofarashewasable，persecutionofscholarsforholdingtotheDarwinianview；andpavedthewayforthehighestresearchesinphysicalscienceinthatuniversity。Foramosteloquentstatementoftheoppositionofmodernphysicalsciencetomediaevaltheologicalviews，asshowninthecaseofSirIsaacNewton，seeDr。ThomasChalmers，citedinGore，ArtofScientificDiscovery，London，1878，p。247。
Themoststrikingbeginningsofthismovementhadbeenseenwhen，inthedarkestperiodoftheFrenchRevolution，therewasfoundedatParisthegreatConservatoryofArtsandTrades，andwhen，intheearlyyearsofthenineteenthcentury，scientificandtechnicaleducationspreadquietlyupontheContinent。BythemiddleofthecenturyFranceandGermanyweredottedwithwell-equippedtechnicalandscientificschools，eachhavingchemicalandphysicallaboratories。
TheEnglish-speakinglandslaggedbehind。InEngland，OxfordandCambridgeshowedfewifanysignsofthismovement，andintheUnitedStates，downto1850，evidencesofitwerefewandfeeble。
Verysignificantisitthat，atthatperiod，whileYaleCollegehadinitsfacultySillimanandOlmsted——theprofessorofchemistryandtheprofessorofphysicsmostwidelyknownintheUnitedStates——ithadnophysicalorchemicallaboratoryinthemodernsense，andconfineditsinstructioninthesesubjectstoexaminationsuponatext-bookandthepresentationofafewlectures。AttheStateUniversityofMichigan，whichhadeventhentakenaforemostplaceinthehighereducationwestoftheGreatLakes，therewasverymeagreinstructioninchemistryandvirtuallynoneinphysics。Thisbeingthestateofthingsinthemiddleofthecenturyininstitutionsremarkablyfreefromclericalcontrol，itcanbeimaginedwhatwasthepositionofscientificinstructioninsmallercollegesanduniversitieswheretheologicalconsiderationswereentirelydominant。