THE PATH OF EVOLUTION 



to the nature of God to act by any but universal 

 laws, and these universal laws necessarily involve 

 particular evil consequences, though their ultimate 

 result is the highest possible good. 



Malebranche avoided discussing the astronomical 

 and physical theories of either the Ptolemaic or- the 

 Copernican system, as well as any other question that 

 would force him into a denial of the established Aris- 

 totelian theories of the Church. He escaped, there- 

 fore, all persecution, though his denial of particular 

 providences constantly involved him in disputes with 

 Arnauld, with Bossuet and with others. He died in 

 1715, aged 77 years. 



The theories of Descartes, Malebranche and 

 Spinoza, differing, as shown above, in important 

 detail, yet all having the same general foundation, 

 constituted the Cartesian Philosophy. Its principles, 

 held with various modifications, were in the thoughts 

 of the greatest minds of the time; and the philos- 

 ophy of Leibnitz, Locke, Condi 1 lac and others, 

 though they were not within the Cartesian fold, drew 

 much from its doctrines. Its practical and permanent 

 benefits to its age and ours were rather in its destruc- 

 tive action upon the existing errors of its time than 

 (apart from the discoveries in Mathematics) the 

 creation of new thoughts or knowledge. It was pre- 

 ceded in date by the writings of Eamus, Talezius, 



80 



