Philosophic Evolution. 195 



the perfection of the First Cause itself/'* By the 

 union of these two laws of (i) continuity, and (2) 

 final causality, the whole phenomena of the universe 

 physical, biological, political, moral, and religious may 

 be really explained and understood, and Mr. Spencer's 

 law may be accepted as conveniently expressing its 

 material aspect and mode of action. Whether or not 

 the teleological part of this conception can be gathered 

 from mere irrational nature directly, it can most cer- 

 tainly be obtained from a consideration of what is in- 

 volved in our own self-consciousness. When such impli- 

 cation is brought thence and applied to the universe, 

 nature, on a large scale and when broadly read, loudly 

 confirms it, though, as might be expected, the applica- 

 tion of the human mind to the task of thoroughly com- 

 prehending the purposes of God in any given phenome- 

 non has led, as it must necessarily always lead, to de- 

 lusion and disappointment. 



The phenomena of cosmical evolution are presented by 

 the Sensist school in terms of matter and force, and Mr. 

 Spencer presents us with matter also reduced to concep- 

 tions of force. But that the universe can be explained 

 by the conceptions of one sole force by itself, without 

 any other force or any matter upon which such solitary 

 force may act, is an evident absurdity. We must there- 



* " Lessons from Nature," p. 358 



