It will be seen by the following Circular and Correspondence how the Discourses of the Bishop of Peterborough and Mr. Bradlaugh's Replies thereto were brought about. The Dean's Circular speaks of four Discourses to be delivered by the Bishop, but in fact only the three here reported were given. This volume, therefore, contains the whole of both sides of the question, so far as the discussion has hitherto proceeded in Norwich. The speeches were all taken down by a competent shorthand reporter, specially engaged for the National Reformer.
The reader will clearly see by the Correspondence that the Christians refused the proposal of the Secularists that the two parties should co-operate in publishing together and circulating as widely as possible the Discourses and Replies. Mr. Bradlaugh has therefore taken upon himself the responsibility of their joint publication. The extraordinary reasons given by the Dean (in the last paragraph of his letter of Feb. 15th) for refusing the perfectly fair offer of Mr. Cooper, will not pass unnoted. His claim to certainty may differ from the claim to infallibility made on behalf of the Pope and the Romish Church, and the principle on which he condemns the dissemination of Sceptical works as treason to human welfare, may differ from that which in Rome has led to the establishment of the Index Expurgatorius; but we confess that in neither case can we see the difference, and we challenge the Dean to show that there really is any.