I.] INTRODUCTORY. 23 



must be capable of being subsumed into some higher 

 law ; and, the Author believes, it is evident a iw^Uriori, 

 that " IS'atural Selection " is, at the very least, aided and 

 supplemented by some other agency. 



Admitting, then, organic and other evolution, and that 

 new forms of animals and plants (new species, genera, &c.) 

 have from time to time been evolved from preceding 

 animals and plants, it follows, if the views here advo- 

 cated are true, that this evolution has not taken place by 

 the action of " l^atural Selection " alone, but through it 

 (amongst other influences) aided by the concurrent action 

 of some other natural law or laws, at present undiscovered. 

 It is probable also that the genesis of species takes place 

 partly, perhaps mainly, through laws which may be most 

 conveniently spoken of as special powers and tendencies 

 existing in each organism; and partly through influences 

 exerted on each such orcjanism bv surroundino- conditions 

 and agencies organic and inorganic, terrestrial and cosmical, 

 among which the " survival of the fittest " plays a certain 

 but subordinate part. 



The theory of " Natural Selection " may (though it need 

 not) be understood in such a way as to lead men to consider 

 the present organic world to be formed, so to speak, accident- 

 ally, beautiful and wonderful as is confessedly the hap- 

 hazard result The same may perhaps be said with regard 

 to the system advocated by J\Ir. Herbert Spencer, who, 

 however, also degrades "Natural Selection" to a subor- 

 dinate office. The view here advocated, on the other 

 hand, exhibits the whole organic world as arising and going 

 forward in one harmonious development similar to that 

 which displays itself in the growth and action of each 

 separate individual organism. It also regards each such 



