CHAP, ix MR. SPENCER'S THREE DOCTRINES 89 



Spencer's general evolutionary philosophy. It corre- 

 sponds to that doctrine of final balance which is so 

 dubious and so characteristic an element in his deductive 

 processes. Historically, it probably owes its suggestion 

 to the doctrine of the stationary state formulated by 

 the Political Economists. To them progress meant 

 largely numerical growth in population. When that 

 tremendous pressure should have to cease for lack of 

 further space, they looked forward to a stationary state of 

 society ; and J. S. Mill at least plucked up courage to 

 regard the stationary state as a thing to be desired 

 rather than dreaded. In Spencer's system, this concep- 

 tion is given the lordship over ethical thought, strictly 

 so-called ; and complexity, or the progressive ideal, is 

 overborne by the ideal of balance, or fixity, as a Utopian 

 or millennial vision. Has this ideal any further authority 

 beyond the place allotted to equilibrium in Spencer's 

 First Principles ? Assuredly it has. It represents the 

 hedonistic postulate. It represents an appeal to con- 

 sciousness, and to that form of consciousness which de- 

 clares pleasure to be the end of life. Distracted between 

 the craving for personal pleasure and the momentous 

 claims of others, the individual is bidden take comfort 

 from the evolutionary process, which, moderating 

 personal claims, and increasing altruistic efforts, 

 is preparing a heaven upon earth for the benefit 

 of our very remote posterity ; at least, if the world lasts 

 long enough. But the fundamental postulate remains ; 

 pleasure is the good. All systems, we are told, 

 virtually involve this assumption, and all moral truths 

 are lighted up by it. Why is altruism good ? Because 

 it gives pleasure to other persons, although at personal 

 cost. Why is egoism good ? Because a judicious 

 tincture of egoism increases average happiness. Thus, 



