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
800, 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:--