iv MODERN EVOLUTION 163 



The observations of the famous astronomer, Sir 

 William Herschel, which resulted in the discovery of 

 binary or double stars, of star-clusters, and cloud-like 

 nebulae (as that term implies) were further confirma- 

 tions of Kant's theory. And such modifications in 

 this as have been made by subsequent advance in 

 knowledge, notably by the doctrine of the Conservation 

 of Energy (the hypothesis of Kant and Laplac'e being 

 based on gravitation alone), affect not the general 

 theory of the origin of the heavenly bodies from 

 seemingly formless, unstable, and highly -diffused 

 matter. The assumption of primitive unstableness 

 and unlikeness squares with the unequal distribution 

 of matter ; with the movements of its masses in 

 different directions, and at different rates ; and with 

 the ceaseless redistribution of matter and motion. 

 For all changes of states are due to the rearrange- 

 ment of the atoms of which matter is made up, 

 resulting in the evolution of the seeming like into the 

 actual unlike ; of the simple into the more and more 

 complex, till speaking of the only planet of whose 

 life-history we can have knowledge with the cooling 

 of the earth to a temperature permitting of the 

 evolution of living matter, the highest complexity 

 is reached in the infinitely diverse forms of plants 

 and animals. Therefore, as our knowledge of matter 

 is limited to the changes of which we assume it to 

 be the vehicle, it would seem that science reduces 

 the Universe to the intelligible concept of Motion'. 



Since the great discovery by Kirchhoff, in 1859, 

 of the meaning of the dark lines that cross the 

 refracted sun-rays, the spectroscope has come as 

 powerful evidence in support of the nebular theory, 



