Evolution. 47 



of which is traceable throughout every depart- 

 ment of nature. 



Mr. Herbert Spencer's definition of it is 

 equally clear and concise : " Evolution is a 

 change from an indefinite, incoherent homo- 

 geneity, to a definite, coherent heterogeneity ; 

 through continuous differentiations and integra- 

 tions." ! 



Its absolute universality of operation he thus 

 expresses : " Whether it be in the development 

 of the Earth, in the development of Life upon 

 its surface, in the development of Society, of 

 Government, of Manufactures, of Commerce, of 

 Language, of Literature, Science, Art, this same 

 advance from the simple to the complex, 

 through successive differentiations, holds uni- 

 formly. From the earliest traceable cosmical 

 changes down to the latest results of civilization, 

 we shall find that the transformation of the 

 homogeneous into the heterogeneous, is that in 

 which Evolution essentially consists." a 



In this last sentence we have not merely 

 the " transformation " " in which evolution 

 essentially consists ; " we have also the assump- 



1 " First Principles." Williams & Norgate, 1862, p. 

 216. A subsequent definition is given below. See 

 Appendix, Note B. 



2 Ibid., pp. 148, 149. 



