LIMITS OF NATURAL SELECTION IN MAN 211 



All Force is probably Will-Farce, 



If we are satisfied that force or forces are all that exist 

 in the material universe, we are next led to inquire 

 what is force ? We are acquainted with two radically 

 distinct or apparently distinct kinds of force the first 

 consists of the primary forces of nature, such as gravitation, 

 cohesion, repulsion, heat, electricity, etc. ; the second is 

 our own will -force. Many persons will at once deny that 

 the latter exists. It will be said that it is a mere trans- 

 formation of the primary forces before alluded to ; that the 

 correlation of forces includes those of animal life, and that 

 will itself is but the result of molecular change in the brain. 

 I think, however, that it can be shown that this latter asser- 

 tion has neither been proved, nor even been proved to be 

 possible ; and that in making it, a great leap in the dark has 

 been taken from the known to the unknown. It may be at 

 once admitted that the muscular force of animals and men is 

 merely the transformed energy derived from the primary 

 forces of nature. So much has been, if not rigidly proved, 

 yet rendered highly probable, and it is in perfect accordance 

 with all our knowledge of natural forces and natural laws. 

 But it cannot be contended that the physiological balance- 

 sheet has ever been so accurately struck, that we are entitled 

 to say, not one-thousandth part of a grain more of force has 

 been exerted by any organised body, or in any part of it, than 

 has been derived from the known primary forces of the 

 material world. If that were so, it would absolutely negative 

 the existence of will ; for if will is anything, it is a power that 

 directs the action of the forces stored up in the body, and it is 

 not conceivable that this direction can take place, without the 

 exercise of some force in some part of the organism. How- 

 ever delicately a machine may be constructed, with the most 

 exquisitely contrived detents to release a weight or spring by 

 the exertion of the smallest possible amount of force, some 

 external force will always be required ; so, in the animal 

 machine, however minute may be the changes required in 

 the cells or fibres of the brain, to set in motion the nerve 

 currents which loosen or excite the pent-up forces of certain 

 muscles, some force must be required to effect those changes. 



