1 66 The Three Beginnings. 



thus "potentially" to endow "the cosmic 

 vapour." 



Matter, Force, Order, Law, Diversity in 

 Unity, Concord in Complexity : they are all 

 known to us, but not one of them is known 

 as self-originated. Distinct in character, defi- 

 nite in operation, invariable in result : who made 

 them so ? You trace " the whole world, living 

 and not living," to certain " properties " of Mat- 

 ter, acted upon by certain capacities of Force, 

 operating in an invariable Order, under the reign 

 of Law. You do well. Pursue your induction 

 to " The First Beginnings." Whence came those 

 " properties " of matter ? those capacities of 

 force ? Order could not regulate them before 

 Matter received them. Could Matter create 

 them? Through all the "immeasurable inter- 

 vals of time and space," Matter has never 

 created one single atom. Causa causarum: 

 what was that ? Whatever it was, you will not 

 be ctble to ignore it, except by refusing to go 

 back to " The First Beginning." 



That " first " beginning was followed by a 

 second. Immovably based on the deep founda- 

 tions of the inorganic world, there rises every- 

 where, elaborate and multifarious, the myste- 

 rious superstructure of organization and Life. 



M 



