PHILOSOPHICAL CONCLUSIONS. 377 



tion or creation.* Both of these hypotheses arc alike in recog- 

 nizing that nothing in the visible universe is capable of account- 

 ing for the properties of living matter. 



Evolution as an Account of the Course of the History of Creation 

 a Gain upon the Older Idea of Arbitrary Creation, but not a Satisfac- 

 tory Substitute for Creation. — Evolution as a theory of the mode 

 of the orderly appearance of heterogeneity among organisms 

 is a great gain upon the older theory of creation, which found 

 no natural or regular method in the history, but only an 

 arbitrary and unfathomable complexity and heterogeneity. 



That this order of sequence is correlated with genetic 

 succession, and is thus bound up with the organic nature of 

 the evolving beings, is a most rational inference from the 

 facts observed. 



But evolution as a theory of origins, as an attempt to ex- 

 plain zvJiy thino-s are as they are, as a philosophy of the cause 

 of organic diversity, is an utterly inadequate substitute for 

 creation. And we find the most zealous advocates of pure 

 scientific observation unable entirely to avoid the inquiry Why 

 are things as they are? 



Consideration of Causation Indispensable to a Thoughtful Study 

 of Nature. — In our studies we may for a time confine our 

 attention to the " course of nature," entirely excluding all 

 consideration of matters not pertaining strictly to definition 

 and classification of the facts actually observed and measured ; 

 but sooner or later we must think, and when we think the 

 question of cause, and the nature of the relation of cause and 

 effect, inevitably arise. 



A scientist, so ardent for the elimination of everything un- 

 scientific from science as Mr. Huxley, was not unconscious of 

 something beyond, as is illustrated by the following quota- 

 tions. 



In the admirable study of the "crayfish" as a typical 

 organism we find the following definition: " TJie course of 

 nature as it is, as it Juis been, and as it will be is the object of 

 scientific inquiry ; whatever lies beyond, above, or below this is 

 outside science ; " but such a definition only follows the state- 



* Vol. I. p. 34S. 



