Here my brother heaved a sigh, which seemed to issue from the very centre of his heart: “Aye, Caroline,” said he, “there’s the rub; there is the inscrutable mystery, the impenetrable veil;” “Which,” answered I, “no mortal intellect--no human eye will ever pierce.”--“Then how _believe_ what I despair of comprehending?” “If,” replied I, “we turn a subject according to two opposite theories, and after the clearest investigation which we are enabled to bestow upon each, find that both involve an equal measure of incompatibility with our reason and experience, we arrive at least naturally at a state of neutrality which would leave us unbiased and ready to lean to one side or the other, as _new_ motives might be suggested to incline the understanding through force of evidence or probability, towards the adoption of one scheme in preference to the other, its _own_ powers being confessedly unequal to unravel the difficulties of either. Let us view the wonderful question of free-will in this light: that the Almighty could _decree_ man to be free, we have no reason to deny. Omnipotence can achieve _all_ things; and even were we inclined to declare, that not being satisfied that free-will exists, we will not give credit to the Great Framer of the universe for more than we see, still we are _pinned_ on the other side; for if we only admit what we see, we cannot by the same rule consistently negative that which we do _not_ see. _Ignorance_ is not entitled to predicate for or against. We can only with propriety say, that what is hidden, is hidden. _But_ my _experience_ tells me that I _am_ free; and that when not coerced from without, when not restrained by extrinsic force, I follow the dictates of my _will_, I find that no temptation assails me with such violence as to make it _impossible_ that I should not have resisted its approaches: and find that the common sense of all mankind is with me, since every human law is founded on the distinction between voluntary and compulsory action. Every species of control, moral or physical, is taken into account; every aberration which disturbs the balance of the mental faculties is allowed to operate favourably in excusing the delinquent who is brought to judgment; and nothing but _free_, _determined_ wickedness is punished by the laws of man. Whatever injury has been sustained by society, _crime_ is not imputed to the person who has been an unwilling instrument of wrong. So far there is no contrariety in the decisions; no variety amongst the opinions of men. What says the Bible, which we have already agreed should be the lamp of our feet, _provided_ that we submit to be guided where our own light is not sufficient? It tells us, that God placing us here in a merely probationary state, and designing us for an ulterior destiny, made us free _in order_ to our being accountable. Now that we should be accountable _without_ being free is a solecism which no human sagacity could comprehend, not merely because it is too