Having accepted the very great honour of being allowed to deliver
here two lectures, I have chosen as my subject Superstition and
Science. It is with Superstition that this first lecture will deal.
The subject seems to me especially fit for a clergyman; for he
should, more than other men, be able to avoid trenching on two
subjects rightly excluded from this Institution; namely, Theology--
that is, the knowledge of God; and Religion--that is, the knowledge
of Duty. If he knows, as he should, what is Theology, and what is
Religion, then he should best know what is not Theology, and what is
not Religion.
For my own part, I entreat you at the outset to keep in mind that
these lectures treat of matters entirely physical; which have in
reality, and ought to have in our minds, no more to do with Theology
and Religion than the proposition that theft is wrong, has to do
with the proposition that the three angles of a triangle are equal
to two right angles.
It is necessary to premise this, because many are of opinion that
superstition is a corruption of religion; and though they would
agree that as such, "corruptio optimi pessima," yet they would look
on religion as the state of spiritual health, and superstition as
one of spiritual disease.
Others again, holding the same notion, but not considering that
"corruptio optimi pessima," have been in all ages somewhat inclined
to be merciful to superstition, as a child of reverence; as a mere
accidental misdirection of one of the noblest and most wholesome
faculties of man.
This is not the place wherein to argue with either of these parties:
and I shall simply say that superstition seems to me altogether a
physical affection, as thoroughly material and corporeal as those of
eating or sleeping, remembering or dreaming.
After this, it will be necessary to define superstition, in order to
have some tolerably clear understanding of what we are talking
about. I beg leave to define it as--Fear of the unknown.
Johnson, who was no dialectician, and, moreover, superstitious
enough himself, gives eight different definitions of the word; which
is equivalent to confessing his inability to define it at all:
"1. Unnecessary fear or scruples in religion; observance of
unnecessary and uncommanded rites or practices; religion without
morality.
"2. False religion; reverence of beings not proper objects of
reverence; false worship.
" 3. Over nicety; exactness too scrupulous."
Eight meanings; which, on the principle that eight eighths, or
indeed eight hundred, do not make one whole, may be considered as no
definition. His first thought, as often happens, is the best--
"Unnecessary fear." But after that he wanders. The root-meaning of
the word is still to seek. But, indeed, the popular meaning, thanks
to popular common sense, will generally be found to contain in
itself the root-meaning.
Let us go back to the Latin word Superstitio. Cicero says that the
superstitious element consists in "a certain empty dread of the
gods"--a purely physical affection, if you will remember three
things: