PREFACE. 



[]AVING been invited to give an ad- 

 dress before the Concord School 

 of Philosophy this summer, upon 

 some subject relating to the question 

 of immortality there under discussion, it 

 seemed a proper occasion for putting to- 

 gether the following thoughts on the ori- 

 gin of Man and his place in the universe. 

 In dealing with the unknown, it is well 

 to take one's start a long way within the 

 limits of the known. The question of a 

 future life is generally regarded as lying 

 outside the rangt of legitimate scientific 

 discussion. Yet while fully admitting this, 

 one does not necessarily admit that the 

 subject is one with regard to which we 

 are forever debarred from entertaining an 

 opinion. Now our opinions on such tran 



