First Causes. 19 



in these few lines of Mr Spencer's. For in- 

 stance : — 



(1) A knowledge of it to the extent given is 

 absolutely certain. 



(2) It is present. 



(3) It is an infinite Energy. 



(4) It is infinite and eternal, not finite and 

 ephemeral. 



(5) It is energy, not matter. 



(6) All things proceed from it, including, we sup- 

 pose, even indestructible matter. 



The most striking objections to this agnostic 

 paradox are as follows : — 



(1) Is the knowledge absolutely certain only to Mr 

 Spencer, or is it so absolutely certain to everybody 

 that all eternity shall think as Mr Spencer in his 

 wisdom or ignorance now does ? 



(2) If it be present, why cannot we test the Energy 

 through the things in which it is present or which it 

 influences ? 



(3) If the Energy has personality, it has con- 

 stituents : what are they ? 



(4) By what evidence does Mr Spencer determine 

 the Unknowable to be solely an infinite Energy and 

 not a finite material property as well, when any con- 

 ceivable infinite involves only an extension of the 

 known finite? 



(5) If all things proceed from Energy, how does 

 Mr Spencer account for its twin-eternal and twin- 

 indestructible potency, matter? How is it possible 



