RELIGION AND SCIENCE 251 



at present unforeseen change occurs, the last state of 

 the universe, considered as a purely physico-chemical 

 mechanism, will be one of death, of inactivity, with 

 all matter at a uniform low temperature and the 

 whole stock of energy locked up and unavailable 

 in this sea of tranquillity. True for one thing that 

 an almost inconceivable number of millions of years 

 must elapse before this ' death of matter ' is realized ; 

 and for another that we are unable to understand how 

 such a progressive degradation could have been in 

 operation from all eternity. We must not expect 

 complete knowledge within a few years or a few cen- 

 turies ; but even if the beginning is veiled — for there 

 is no more evidence for a ' creation ' than for (say) 

 a rhythmic reversal of the direction of energy-avail- 

 ability — and if it is always possible that some unfore- 

 seen change in the process should occur before the 

 whole runs down, yet it is a fact (and we are resolved 

 to be agnostic save about facts) that, here and now, a 

 direction is to be observed in the evolution of inorganic 

 matter, by which natural operations are tending to 

 become less active, and the amount of available energy 

 is diminishing. If it continues indefinitely, first life, 

 and later on all activity and change whatsoever will 

 cease. There is a tendency towards death and 

 towards unchanging inactivity. 



The next great category is that of the organic, of 

 living matter. We have to consider its origin and 

 later history. So far as constitution goes, living 



