ADAPTATIONS 159 



be confessed, with the slightest success, in at- 

 tempting to account for their racial suicide. 

 But this at least seems clear, that these things 

 are not^susceptible^ o_i explanation under any 

 purely Mechanical theory. 



Homogeneous Matter and Local Motion, 

 which are the sole factors relied on, cannot 

 even explain the operations of Chemistry ; for 

 example they afford no full and adequate ex- 

 planation of how it is that after all sorts of 

 transformations and re-transformations there is 

 a recurrence in any given body of all the collec- 

 tion of properties which it possesses, such as 

 weight, affinity, crystalline form and the like, 

 which though they are quite independent of 

 one another, are always found to be united. 

 Still less can it explain the far more compli- 

 cated problems of living things. 



The scholastic philosophy relies on a Hylo- Hylo- 

 morphic explanation which teaches us that all morphism 

 bodies are endowed with substantial unity and 

 are specifically distinct and that they possess 

 active and passive powers which belong to 

 them in virtue of their substantial essence and 

 are indlssolubly bound up with it. Further 

 that they have an inherent tendency to realise 

 by the exercise of their native energies certain 

 special ends.* As to the earlier part of this 



* Here and elsewhere, when stating the scholastic posi- 

 tion, I have relied, for the most part, on the actual language 



