MR. GLADSTONE AND GENESIS. 797 



marked approach to a materialistic doctrine of evolution." What lit- 

 tle knowledge I have of the matter — chiefly derived from that very- 

 instructive book " Die Religion des Buddha," by C. F. Koeppen, sup- 

 plemented by Hardy's interesting works — leads me to think that Mr. 

 Sully might have spoken much more strongly as to the evolutionary 

 character of Indian philosophy, and especially of that of the Buddhists. 

 But the question is too large to be dealt with incidentally. 



And with respect to early Greek philosophy * the seeker after ad- 

 ditional enlightenment need go no further than the same excellent 

 storehouse of information : 



The early Ionian physicists, including Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes 

 seek to explain the world as generated out of a primordial matter which is at the 

 same time the universal support of things. This substance is endowed with a 

 generative or transmutative force by virtue of which it passes into a succession 

 of forms. They thus resemble modern evolutionists, since they regard the world 

 with its infinite variety of forms, as issuing from a simple mode of matter. 



Further on, Mr. Sully remarks that " Heraclitus deserves a promi- 

 nent place in the history of the idea of evolution," and he states, with 

 perfect justice, that Heraclitus has foreshadowed some of the special 

 peculiarities of Mr. Darwin's views. It is indeed a very strange cir- 

 cumstance that the philosophy of the great Ephesian more than adum- 

 brates the two doctrines which have played leading parts, the one in 

 the development of Christian dogma, the other in that of natural sci- 

 ence. The former is the conception of the Word (Aoyos) which took 

 its Jewish shape in Alexandria, and its Christian form f in that Gos- 

 pel which is usually referred to an Ephesian source of some five cent- 

 uries later date ; and the latter is that of the struggle for existence. 

 The saying that " strife is father and king of all " (TroAe/to? TrdvTwv fxkv 

 iraT-qp Icrri, ttcivtuv 8e /3acn\€v<;) , ascribed to Heraclitus, would be a not 

 inappropriate motto for the " Origin of Species." 



I have referred only to Mr. Sully's article, because his authority is 

 quite sufficient for my purpose. But the consultation of any of the 

 more elaborate histories of Greek philosophy, such as the great work 

 of Zeller, for example, will only bring out the same fact into still more 

 striking prominence. I have professed no " minute acquaintance " 

 with either Indian or Greek philosophy, but I have taken a great deal 

 of pains to secure that such knowledge as I do possess shall be accu- 

 rate and trustworthy. 



In the third place, Mr. Gladstone appears to wish that I should 

 discuss with him the question whether the nebular hypothesis is or is 

 not confirmatory of the Pentateuchal account of the origin of things. 

 Mr. Gladstone appears to be prepared to enter upon this campaign 



* I said nothing about " the greater number of schools of Greek philosophy," as 

 Mr. Gladstone implies that I did, but expressly spoke of the " founders of Greek phi- 

 losophy." 



f See Heinze, " Die Lehrc vom Logos," p. 9, et seg. 



