EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION 5 



comparatively small. As life has multiplied on the 

 earth, however, demand has increased, and struggle has 

 become more serious. World-history runs through 

 this widely extended conflict. Immense sacrifice of 

 life is the consequence ; but in the midst of all, and 

 by means of struggle occasioning death very widely, 

 advance of life has been gained, so that it is reason 

 able to speak of survival of the fittest ; and thereby 

 improved species have appeared. 



Human history must be traced within this world- 

 history. Humanity is not exempt from the conditions 

 of progress described. For the members of our race, 

 as for the lower animals, it has proved true that 

 variety of surroundings, more or less favourable, has 

 presented variety of result, as in the history of different 

 tribes and nations. What is required, therefore, for 

 an adequate representation of Man s place in Nature 

 is a more searching scrutiny of his relation to the 

 general laws of existence. 



Wide and careful as was the research of Darwin, 

 his accumulated results have much more bearing on 

 animal life, and even on lower types of that, than on 

 human life and character. Exact conclusions are 

 unattainable as to the number of lines of biological 

 advance, and the variations within these lines. 

 That there has been general advance is beyond dis 

 pute ; but as the risks to life are many, there are 

 possibilities of reverse by deterioration. It is accord 

 ingly needful to allow for manifold deviations. Mr. 

 Herbert Spencer has properly emphasised this in 

 saying that : Organisms may vary not only in re- 

 spect_o^_their_structures. but in respect of their ten 

 dencies to do thisor the other, in all kinds of ways, 



