It is a very difficult question, which it would be presumptuous to try to answer offhand; all we have tried to show here is that, on the whole, the assumption as to the peaceful tendencies of a democratic foreign policy is a doubtful one, on which we must to some extent reserve our judgment.

Putting aside the flippancy of the passage, it involves something very like a petitio principii to ask offhand: "Does the man mean a living union of heart to Christ, a spiritual fellowship or converse with the Father, when he talks of the union of the believer with Godparticipation in the Divine nature?"

It seemed certain to me that something unusual and adventurous was about to happenand if it did not happen offhand, why I was there to make it happen!

"Why, the boys would be so furious they'd be tempted to lynch him offhand.

Instead of making such an assumption offhand, the scientific method requires us to ask if there is not some other way of accounting for the facts more in accordance with the selfish disposition and habits of savages.

It used to take him months to learn things that I picked up offhand, and yet you see how much better he has done than I." "Do not disturb yourself with vain regrets.

Sir, I know enough, I hope, to defend an innocent man; but I can't promise, offhand, to save him, even from an unjust accusation.

But Motherit was so like her!the first time Cousin Parnelia happened to come to the house, Mother picked up the deed from her desk and said offhand, 'Oh, Parnelia, we bought the little Garens house for you,' and handed her the paper, and went to talking about cutworms or Bordeaux mixture.

"No, I suppose not; but here is where we come again to the real heart of all of these questions which so many of us feel able to solve offhand.

To treat this offhand as the bare illusory [Footnote 1: Let me not be told that this contradicts a former article of mine, 'Does consciousness exist?' in the Journal of Philosophy for September 1, 1904 (see especially page 489), in which it was said that while 'thoughts' and 'things' have the same natures, the natures work 'energetically' on each other in the things (fire burns, water wets, etc.), but not in the thoughts.