NEW SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY. XI 



itrations, and the full breadth, of its philosophic scope, is stamped 

 with a high originality. 



Having thus determined the sphere of philosophy and ascer- 

 tained those fundamental princif)les governing all orders of phe- 

 nomena.which are to be subsequently used for guidance and veri- 

 fication, the author proceeds to the second work of the series, 

 which is devoted to Biology, or the Science of Life. He regards 

 life not as a foreign and miintelligible something, thrust into the 

 scheme of nature, of which we can know nothing save its mys- 

 tery, but as an essential part of the universal plan. The har- 

 monies of life are regarded as but phases of the universal har- 

 mony, and Biology is studied by the same methods as other de- 

 partments of science. The great truths of Physics and Chemistry 

 are apj^lied to its elucidation ; its facts are collected, its induc- 

 tions established, and constantly verified by the first principles 

 laid down at the outset. Apart from its connections with the 

 philosophical system, of which it forms a part, this work will 

 have great intrinsic interest. Nothing was more needed than a 

 compact and well-digested statement of those general principles 

 of life to which science has arrived, and Mr. Spencer's presenta- 

 tion is proving to be just what is required. Some idea of his 

 mode of treating the subject may be formed by glancing over a 

 few of his first chapter-headings. Part First : I. Organic Matter ; 

 II. The Actions of Forces on Organic Matter ; III. The Reactions 

 of Organic Matter on Forces ; IV. Proximate Definition of Life ; 

 V. The Correspondence between Life and its Circumstances 

 VT. The Degree of Life Varies with the Degree of Correspond- 

 ence ; VH. Inductions of Biology. Part SEC0]srD : I. Growth ; 

 II. Development ; III. Function ; IV. Waste and Repaii' ; V. 

 Adaptation; VI. Individuality; VII. Genesis; VIII. Heredity; 

 IX. Variation ; X. Genesis, Heredity and Variation ; XI. Classifi- 

 cation ; XII. Distribution. 



