In  a  criticism  of  this  kind,  but  little  confidence  can  be
placed  in  external  evidence,  because  it  all  comes  within
the  realm  of  art  or  accident,  and  any  scientific  truth
can  not  be  founded  thereon.  For  example,  Macaulay
says:  ''  The  handwriting  of  Junius  is  the  very  peculiar
handwriting  of  Francis,  slightly  disguised."  Hand-
writing is  an  art,  just  like  chopping  wood  or  playing
on  the  piano.     And  to  tell  who  wrote  an  article  by  the


HE  VIEW.  197

^^ peculiar"  haudwriting,  is  about  as  safe  as  to  hazard
an  opiniou  upon  who  is  chopping  wood  by  the  "  pecu-
liar" swino;  of  the  ax.  Nor  does  the  same  individual
always  write  in  the  same  style  or  manner.  Such  proof
is  good  for  nothing.  And  this  is  the  nature  of  all  ex-
ternal evidence,  and  is  the  cause  of  the  endless  litigation
in  our  courts.  A  man  may  go  on  the  stand  and  swear
to  a  lie.  I  have  known  men  do  it.  Then  we  draw
inferences  from  the  associations  of  men,  which  the  real
jflicts  of  the  case  might  not  warrant.  The  accidents  of
place  and  position,  of  friendships  and  age,  of  times  and
circumstances,  and  even  of  existence,  all  may  or  may
not,  in  a  world  full  of  men,  have  bearing  on  the  facts
which  form  the  opinion  of  an  outside  spectator.  For
example,  Francis,  it  is  said,  "  did  not  deny  that  he  was
Junius."  If  he  had  denied  or  affirmed  he  was,  it  would
have  proved  just  the  same.  It  belongs  to  the  most
worthless  kind  of  external  evidence.  A  naturalist  does
not  ask  his  horse  whether  or  not  he  is  a  horse.  If  the
horse  could  speak  and  say  to  his  master,  "  I  am  a  jack-
ass," the  .master  would  be  a  fool  to  believe  him.  It  is
thus  persons  often  put  on  a  character  in  a  word  or  two
which  does  not  belong  to  them,  but  nature  takes  care
to  always  reveal  the  true  character,  if  they  say  much.
