EVOLUTION THE MASTER-KEY 



hence, after so many more unconsidered paces in 

 the path of the universe. 



It seems to me that the fact of the conservation 

 of energy, teaching us that there shall never be one 

 lost iota of power, nor ever has been considered 

 with the nebular theory, which teaches us afresh 

 and in the authoritative tones of mathematics the 

 lesson of Heraclitus and Herbert Spencer, that the 

 Cosmos pursues an eternal succession of cyclical 

 changes reveals to the imagination a vista of 

 sheer sublimity. This pen can but adumbrate it, 

 yet surely the reader, accepting the vision of matter 

 and energy, eternally indestructible, eternally pur- 

 suing this cyclic course, and ever and again giving 

 rise to sentient and reasoning creatures such as 

 himself, may agree with me that here is an epic 

 indeed. 



