I admire every man who is true to himself, to his highest ideal, and who preserves unstained the veracity of his soul. I believe in growth. I prefer the living to the dead. Men are superior to mummies. Cradles are more beautiful than coffins. Development is grander than decay. I do not agree with Professor Briggs. I do not believe in inspired books, or in the Holy Ghost, or that any God has ever appeared to man. I deny the existence of the supernatural. I know of no religion that is founded on facts. But I cheerfully admit that Professor Briggs appears to be candid, good tempered and conscientious--the opposite of those who attack him. He is not a Freethinker, but he honestly thinks that he is free. FRAGMENTS. CLOVER. * A letter written to Col. Thomas Donaldson, of Philadelphia, declining an invitation to be a guest of the Clover Club of that city. I regret that I cannot be "in clover" with you on the 28th instant. A wonderful thing is clover! It means honey and cream,--that is to say, industry and contentment,--that is to say, the happy bees in perfumed fields, and at the cottage gate "bos" the bountiful serenely chewing satisfaction's cud, in that blessed twilight pause that like a benediction falls between all toil and sleep. This clover makes me dream of happy hours; of childhood's rosy cheeks; of dimpled babes; of wholesome, loving wives; of honest men; of springs and brooks and violets and all there is of stainless joy in peaceful human life. A wonderful word is "clover"! Drop the "c," and you have the happiest of mankind. Drop the "r," and "c," and you have left the only thing that makes a heaven of this dull and barren earth. Drop the "r," and there remains a warm, deceitful bud that sweetens breath and keeps the peace in countless homes whose masters frequent clubs. After all, Bottom was right: "Good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow." Yours sincerely and regretfully, R. G. INGERSOLL. Washington, D. C., January 16, 1883. ***** SUPERSTITION puts belief above goodness--credulity above virtue. Here are two men. One is industrious, frugal, honest, generous. He has a happy home--loves his wife and children--fills their lives with sunshine. He enjoys study, thoughts, music, and all the subtleties of Art--but he does not believe the creed--cares nothing for sacred books, worships no god and fears no devil. The other is ignorant, coarse, brutal, beats his wife and children--but he believes--regards the Bible as inspired--bows to the priests, counts his beads, says his prayers, confesses and contributes, and the Catholic Church declares and the Protestant Churches declare that he is the better man. The ignorant believer, coarse and brutal as he is, is going to heaven. He will be washed in the blood of the Lamb. He will have wings--a harp and a halo. The intelligent and generous man who loves his fellow-men--who develops his brain, who enjoys the beautiful, is going to hell--to the eternal prison.