"THE DEVIL'S CASE."
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—As you have informed me that you have no room for an elaborate letter, but will permit me to protest briefly against your criticism of "The Devil's Case," I must perforce confine myself to one or two points of importance. In the first place, let me assure you that I have never doubted the existence of evil, or sin, or temptation, although I hold that the very idea of evil is inconsistent with the idea of Omnipo- tence. God created man imperfect ; consequently the im- perfections of man, in others words his "sins," are "God's invention." I assume that no sane person now believes that man has fallen from a state of innocence, or perfection? But you go further and accuse me of suggesting that all the instincts and appetites of men are to be sanctioned and encouraged ! I don't know where you discover this sugges- tion,—it is utterly opposed to anything I have ever thought or (I believe) written.
Of course, as I cannot argue out the matter in detail, you have much the advantage of me in the discussion, and in any final note you like to make on it. I will therefore only express my surprise at your remark that the revolt of Vol- taire had "no love or human kindness in it." Why, even
Carlyle, who sympathised very little with the great French- man, has written : "If we enumerate his [Voltaire's] generous acts, from the case of the Abbe Deefontaines down to that of the Widow Calas, and the Serfs of St. Claude, we shall find that few private men have had so wide a circle of charity, or have watched it so well." Pardon me for saying, Sir, that if you do me no more justice than you do to Voltaire, I can well enough afford to wait for Time to decide between you and me,—between your religion and mine.—I am, Sir, SLc., ROBERT BUCHANAN. 36 Gerrard Street, W., March 17th.
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