THE OFFSPRING OF SCIENCE 



elaboration of the theory of organic evolution 

 and tracing the struggle for existence through all 

 its manifold aspects. In his " First Principles," 

 he stated the general outline of the universal 

 theory. In his " Principles of Biology," he ap- 

 plied it to the life of organisms. In his " Prin- 

 ciples of Psychology," he furnished a compre- 

 hensive summary of the results of physiological 

 psychology. And in his " Principles of Socio- 

 logy," he presented the relations of this theory, 

 as he understood it, to human society, activity, 

 and ideas in general. Although we are far from 

 agreeing with Spencer on all points, as we shall 

 presently show, we have no hesitation in saying 

 that Spencer's works rank as high in the evolu- 

 tion of materialism, as Hegel's do in idealism. 

 The "Synthetic Philosophy " will always hold its 

 place among the great works of the world. 



In Darwin, Wallace, and- Spencer, dialectic 

 materialism erected on English soil a landmark 

 of its progress over speculative idealism. Al- 

 though the dogmatism and bigotry of the entire 

 reactionary world united in a furious assault upon 

 their work, not one of their fundamental stones 

 in the structure of evolution was injured by the 

 attack. Metaphysics and theology had no weap- 



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