588 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



doctrines of Evolution. The arguments in favour of 

 these general doctrines were, however, quite over- 

 whelming, and could not be shaken. The difficulties, 

 therefore, had to be explained in some manner; but 

 unfortunately instead of facing the adverse criticisms 

 of biologists and following out his own doctrines to 

 their logical conclusions, Mr. Herbert Spencer at- 

 tempted to reconcile the apparent discrepancies by 

 denying that there existed in organisms any internal 

 tendency to progressive differentiation. It is true, 

 there were only two alternatives ; and not being satis- 

 fied as to the present occurrence of the evolution of 

 living matter, he had no choice but to accept the other 

 supposition, and with it all the contradictions which it 

 involved. 



So long, however, as there occurs a changing incidence 

 of external forces, Mr. Spencer is quite willing to con- 

 cede that an increased complexity of organization must 

 result; because, as he expresses it, ''a liability to be 

 unfolded arises from the actions and reactions between 

 organisms and their fluctuating environments i.' And 

 how all-pervading such changes are may be imagined 

 when Mr. Spencer habitually formulates them as being 

 produced by '^astronomic, geologic, meteorologic, and 

 organic agencies.' That the long-continued action of 

 such agencies tends to produce cumulative effects and 

 progressively higher organization in some of the forms, 

 is explicitly taught by Mr. Spencer, since he speaks of 



^ ' Principles of Biology,' vol. i. p. 431. 



