36 INTRODUCTION. 



upon as the ultimate reality of the world. The path 

 of progress and the path of Altruism are one. Evolu- 

 tion is nothing but the Involution of Love, the revela- 

 tion of Infinite Spirit, the Eternal Life returning 

 to Itself. Even the great shadow of Egoism which 

 darkens the past is revealed as shadow only because 

 we are compelled to read it by the higher light which 

 has come. In the very act of judging it to be shadow, 

 we assume and vindicate the light. And in every 

 vision of the light, contrariwise, we resolve the 

 shadow, and perceive the end for which both light 

 and dark are given. 



" I can believe, this dread machinery 

 Of sin and sorrow would confound me else. 

 Devised — all pain, at most expenditure 

 Of pain by Who devised pain — to evolve, 

 By new machinery in counterpart, 

 The moral qualities of Man — how else ? — 

 To make him love in turn, and be beloved, 

 Creative and self-sacrificing too, 

 And thus eventually Godlike." 1 



III. 



WHY WAS EVOLUTION THE METHOD CHOSEN. 



One seldom-raised yet not merely curious question 

 of Evolution is, why the process should be an evolu- 

 tion at all ? If Evolution, is simply a method of Crea- 

 tion, why was this very extraordinary method chosen ? 

 Creation tout (Pun coup might have produced the same 

 result ; an instantaneous act or an age-long process 



The Ring and the Book — The Pope, 1375. 



