THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

In the Society's ChambersProfessor: Let me assure you, my friends, that the methodof enquiry is alone responsible for all the error in the world. Mankindis in a hurry to know and prefers to catch at half-truths ratherthan wait for the full truth to dawn on him. Now a half-truth isa few degrees more mischievous than absolute error. It is thedevil himself in the disguise of an angel.The Practical Man: But surely, Professor, half-truths are thepreparation for whole truths. And mankind must have somethingto go by. We are not all College Professors who can wait comfortablyin our studies for Truth to call on us at her leisure. Ihave got to get to my place of business and, if motor cars havenot been invented, I must use bike or tram car.Professor: There you are, my friend, in possession of ametaphor and under the delusion that you have got an argument.Half-truths are the greatest enemies of whole truths. Mankindgets besotted with the half-truth and when the whole truth happensand it cries, “Here's this queer-looking idiot and scoundrelwho has not been properly introduced to me, wanting to turnout my half-truth whom I know and who has helped me for centuries.Out with the cuckoo! A horse-whip for the bounder!” Andout goes Truth, lucky if she is only expelled, not burned, garrotted,mobbed or censorshipped out of existence, and has to takeher next chance five hundred years later.Scientist: You are right, Professor. Everything should beproved, nothing admitted.Professor: Excuse me, Scientist. Your tribe, once championsof progress, are now the stiffest and blindest opponents ofnew Truth going. Torquemada was a babe to you.Scientist: Well, and what about the Mystic here, who wantsto go back to Paracelsus and Saint Teresa?Mystic: I should say rather, to keep unbroken the most importantthread in the long and intricately woven cord of evolvingknowledge.Professor: My friends, I know nothing about mysticism and