BIOLOGY IN ITS WIDER ASPECTS 1299 



of the Three Furies! Again, our simple graphic Psychological Out- 

 line triangle, suggesting senses serving intelligence, emotions taking 

 expression, and will guiding action — and devised solely for that 

 purpose — is next seen strikingly to recall the ancient conception of 

 humanity in divine image. Again, in the dawning cosmos, before the 

 coming of life, for which the recent advances of mathematico- 

 physical sciences are reaching such new conceptions of Space, Time, 

 Matter and Energy, what are these but fresh presentments of the 

 primeval Nature-powers of ancient thought — Ouranos, Chronos, 

 and Ge? 



In short, then, these past conceptions of ancient culture, formed 

 ages ago in their own ways, are found to reappear on such logically 

 developed life-schemata, arising in terms of biological and related 

 psychological thought alone. This coincidence of conceptions old 

 and new, from different cultures and times altogether, is surely 

 worth noting, and even reflecting on. For one thing, here are mutual 

 confirmations, wholly unexpected and unsought, either by scholars 

 of the past or by evolutionists of the present; and thus suggestive 

 to both; first in their own ways, next towards better understanding; 

 so why not even encouraging towards collaborations ? To us evolu- 

 tionists, rationalistic moderns if ever there were any, it is of no small 

 interest, and broadening result, thus to realise how fully and finely 

 some of the conceptions arising from our own studies have been 

 anticipated, even surpassed, in far-away traditions, from which in 

 some respects we have formerly struggled to emancipate ourselves. 

 And may not scholars also come to view our evolutionary endeavours 

 no longer as harsh iconoclasms, but as recovering, for our times, 

 great conceptions of the past, to them beautiful, venerable, and 

 even sacred. In short, are we not here seeing how these old poetic 

 myths were true to life? And next how life, in evolution, may renew 

 the like ideals ? If so, we are thus alike being led to a more synthetic 

 view of history and progress; as yielding, in various times, and under 

 very various conditions, large conceptions of life and its possibilities, 

 which, however differently reached and expressed, are yet funda- 

 mentally akin. If so, we may now more fully and vitally correlate 

 them. And if these past and present studies, of the humanities and 

 of the sciences, can be thus increasingly reconciled and harmonised, 

 may we not look forward to a co-operation of scholars and scientists, 

 and with artists too, recalling that of the Renaissance? — since 

 bringing a more unified and vitalised education, and this in its best 

 and fullest senses, to bear on our confused and perplexed world? 

 In this way, as in others, despite difficulties and dangers, are we not 

 approaching an understanding more sympathetic, and thence action 

 more effectively social — in short towards a fresh step in evolution, 

 a literal period of Revivance ? 



