CHAPTER I .-- _Introduction in Defence of Everything Else_.
The only possible excuse for this book is that it is an answer to a challenge.

Even a bad shot is dignified when he accepts a duel.

When some time ago I published a series of hasty but sincere papers, under the name of "Heretics," several critics for whose intellect I have a warm respect (I may mention specially Mr.G.S.

Street) said that it was all very well for me to tell everybody to affirm his cosmic theory, but that I had carefully avoided supporting my precepts with example.

"I will begin to worry about my philosophy," said Mr.Street, "when Mr.
Chesterton has given us his." It was perhaps an incautious suggestion to make to a person only too ready to write books upon the feeblest provocation.