152 SUPER-ORGANIC EVOLUTION 



in " Adaptation," p. 27, in which these animals 

 suddenly, without the intervention of any kind of 

 struggle for life, change from aquatic, as they were, 

 to terrestrial beings. I do not think there is a 

 better example for explaining evolution and the 

 relative insignificance of the struggle for life ; 

 wherefore I insist that the law of evolution is the 

 same universal energy, and thus we can understand 

 its true significance in each case. 



This must not be forgotten, in order that we 

 may not be led away by an argument of scientific 

 nature but exaggerated form, for which, in the first 

 instance, was responsible the phrase struggle for 

 life, which is far from being comprehensive. 



As the wrong interpretation of the law of the 

 struggle for life has been much abused, and in 

 order to illustrate my explanation, I will cite an 

 example, the analogy of which will make my mean- 

 ing clear. 



A watch contains a number of parts that unite 

 in forming a connected system to make the 

 hands move. In order to set in motion the entire 

 connection, one requires the initial force of the 

 metal spring, the elasticity of which sets the 

 watch going. 



Applying the analogy to the domain of evolution, 

 we may consider that the connected system is in 

 this case the medium, adaptation, selection, and 



