CHAP. XIII.] CONSEQUENCES. 419 



untruth, as included in its assertion that all our knowledge 

 is but phenomenal and relative. 



The theory of Evolution has now become of the very essence 

 of this philosophy. Seeing, then, the wide-spread acceptance 

 of the evolutionary theory, it may well be asked, is there 

 any necessary connection between that theory and such 

 philosophy ? Do such philosophical consequences necessarily 

 follow from that theory, however understood, or are they 

 confined to the Spencerian and Darwinian forms of it ? 



It is, indeed, certain that any view of Evolution which 

 should deny every distinction of kind between the mind of 

 man and the psychical faculties of brutes would necessarily 

 involve all the consequences here deprecated. But no such 

 bar exists to the acceptance of evolution as applied to the 

 &quot; unfolding &quot; from potential into real existence of constantly 

 new forms of animals and plants. Even the actualisation 

 (upon the occurrence of the requisite conditions) of latent 

 life and sentiency in inorganic matter so far as such life 

 and sentiency be conceived as depending upon and con 

 sequently united with material substance may be affirmed 

 without involving the results objected to. 



Such a theory of Evolution perfectly harmonizes with the 

 presence in man of that substantial and persistent soul which, 

 as we have seen, the voice of consciousness agrees with those 

 of reason and volition in demanding. 



In contrast with the Agnostic philosophy, that which it is 

 here contended may be gathered from Nature presents the 

 following characters. Of such philosophy it may be affirmed : 



1. It accounts for and harmonizes with the dicta of con 

 sciousness as to the Ego. 



2. It readily accepts the declarations of reason as to ulti 

 mate and necessary truths. 



3. It asserts that power of election which our reason and 

 perception of responsibility make known to us. 



4. It, of course, fully accepts the principle of contradic 

 tion, and thereby induces order into our intellectual cog 

 nitions. 



2 E 2 



