CHAPTER LIX
BEFORE going down into the kitchen to convert the tinker Ernest
ran hurriedly over his analysis of Paley's evidences, and put into his
pocket a copy of Archbishop Whateley's "Historic Doubts." Then he
descended the dark rotten old stairs and knocked at the tinker's door.
Mr. Shaw was very civil; he said he was rather throng just now, but if
Ernest did not mind the sound of hammering he should be very glad of a
talk with him. Our hero, assenting to this, ere long led the
conversation to Whateley's "Historic Doubts"- a work which, as the
reader may know, pretends to show that there never was any such person
as Napoleon Buonaparte, and thus satirises the arguments of those
who have attacked the Christian miracles.
Mr. Shaw said he knew "Historic Doubts" very well.
"And what do you think of it?" said Ernest, who regarded the
pamphlet as a masterpiece of wit and cogency.
"If you really want to know," said Mr. Shaw, with a sly twinkle,
"I think that he who was so willing and able to prove that what was
would be equally able and willing to make a case for thinking that
what was not was, if it suited his purpose." Ernest was very much
taken aback.
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