THE MEANING OF DISSOLUTION 



inevitably follows upon evolution, alike in the 

 history of societies, living things, the earth's sur- 

 face, and the earth itself, Spencer is met with the 

 inference that "evolution must come to a close in 

 complete equilibrium or rest," which, for aught 

 that appears to the contrary, may last indefinitely. 

 This, as we have seen, is the inference of the phys- 

 icists. 



But there is no questioning the astronomical evi- 

 dence which Spencer quotes, and which has been 

 abundantly confirmed since his time, that evolu- 

 tion and dissolution are both proceeding " in many 

 thousands of places throughout our sidereal sys- 

 tem." As far as the visible evidence goes, there is 

 no hint of any imminent full stop, any more than 

 there is of "one far-off divine event to which the 

 whole creation moves." The conclusion to which 

 Spencer is led is that 



"It is not inferable from the general progress towards 

 equilibrium that a state of universal quiescence, or death 

 will be reached; but that if a process of reasoning ends 

 in that conclusion, a further process of reasoning points 

 to renewals of activity and life." 



It is to this last conclusion that the physics of 

 to-day is trying to find its way ; but whether Spen- 

 cer's a priori assertion will or will not be confirmed 

 by the inductive or experimental method we can 

 scarcely yet decide. 



But to return for a moment to the personal ques- 

 tion, it is evident that, have it which way we will, 



