Scientific Sophisms. 163 



define, a substance. It is characteristic of 

 unintelligible hypotheses, not less than of 

 " cosmic gas." In this instance, however, let 

 it pass. We will not say that it was " caused," 

 that word might lead us back in the search 

 for a vera causa to a " fi^st beginning," 

 but only that it was "composed." We will 

 not even inquire who " composed " it And 

 yet, if it were permitted us to inquire at all, 

 we might perhaps be excused for asking, 

 How do you know that this nebulosity was 

 " primitive " ? or that its constituent " molecules " 

 were " possessed " of forces ? or that these 

 forces were controlled by " definite laws " ? or 

 that the relation between them was that of 

 " mutual interaction " ? or " that the whole 

 world, living and not living," the molecules 

 themselves included, " is the result " solely 

 and exclusively of the "mutual interaction" 

 which you have imagined ? 



What a tissue of conjectures is here And 

 yet all this is assumed as " certain," and is 

 postulated as "the fundamental proposition of 

 Evolution." 



But now, suppose it certain : what then ? 

 It leaves us as far as ever from a knowledge 

 of "the first beginnings." It tells us of 

 " forces " controlled by " definite laws." But if 



