288 THE LESSON OF EVOLUTION 



the apparently mechanical movements in the lower 

 animals and plants also originated in actions of the 

 will ; for there is no other explanation left. It must 

 further be noticed that, if these movements are 

 spontaneous, the will directing them must be free, 

 that is, free to act in opposition to physical energy 

 for it is by that alone that we distinguish locomotion 

 from purely physical movements. 



But there is another characteristic of living mat- 

 ter, which, although not so fundamental as locomo- 

 tion, is equally widespread. That is the power 

 which all living organisms have of improving their 

 position by adapting themselves to external condi- 

 tions. So universal is this, that Mr. Herbert 

 Spencer defined life as ' ' the continuous adjustment 

 of internal to external relations." The word " ad- 

 justment "is, however, not a good one, as it would 

 apply equally to a glass ball dancing in a fountain, 

 or to other cases of equilibrium, which, of course, 

 Mr. Spencer never intended to include. " Adapta- 

 tion," which was used by Darwin, is a much better 

 word, and it is the one now usually employed by 

 naturalists. Now, the power of adaptation, which is 

 so universal among all living organisms, and which 

 has led to organic development, necessarily implies 

 intelligence. For, suppose a useful incipient varia- 

 tion to arise in an organism, then, if the organism 

 has no power of recognising that it is useful, it will 

 not extend or repeat the movement, and the inci- 

 pient variation will die out. If, however, the 

 organism recognises that it is useful , it will attempt 

 to increase or repeat the movement, until a variation 



