A House of Cards. 81 



are built up." 1 When we ask for the reason 

 for this assertion, we are merely told that there 

 is "reason to suspect" so, and that "by the 

 different grouping of units, and by the com- 

 bination of the unlike groups each with its 

 own kind, and each with other kinds, it is 

 supposed that there have been produced the 

 kinds of matter we call elementary." 3 But, 

 for anything that appears to the contrary, the 

 " reason to suppose " all this, and the subsequent 

 supposing of it, exist only in Mr. Spencer's 

 own mind, and have their raison d'etre in the 

 exigencies of the " constructive philosophy." 

 Having however in this way " supposed " what- 

 ever he pleased, and having also justified his 

 method of procedure by saying that there was 

 " reason to suppose " so, he then in the very 

 next paragraph, and without adducing any 

 proof whatever, proceeds to treat these sup- 

 positions as if they were ascertained facts, and 

 builds on them as if he took them for solid 

 foundations. Thus : " If then, WE SEE (!) that 

 by unlike arrangements of like units, all the 

 forms of matter, apparently so diverse in nature 

 may be produced," etc. etc. 3 



1 "Principles of Psychology." Stereotyped Edition. 

 Williams & Norgate, 1870, vol. i. p. 155. 

 2 Ibid. Ibid. 



