THE SOLDIER AND THE
HUNCHBACK:
! AND?
“Expect seven misfortunes from the cripple, and forty-two
from the one-eyed man; but when the hunchback comes, say
‘Allah our aid.’”
ARAB PROVERB.
I
Inquiry. Let us inquire in the first place: What is Scep-
ticism? The word means looking, questioning, investigating.
One must pass by contemptuously the Christian liar’s gloss
which interprets “ sceptic” as “ mocker” ; though in a sense
it is true for him, since to inquire into Christianity is
assuredly to mock at it ; but I am concerned to intensify the
etymological connotation in several respects. First, I do not
regard mere incredulity as necessary to the idea, though
credulity is incompatible with it. Incredulity implies a pre-
judice in favour of a negative conclusion; and the true
sceptic should be perfectly unbiassed.
Second, I exclude “vital scepticism.” What's the good
of anyfink? expects (as we used to learn about “nonne?”) the
answer, ‘Why, nuffink !” and again is prejudiced. Indolence
is no virtue in a questioner. Eagerness, intentness, concen-
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