i FORTUITY NO EXPLANATION 7 



result of accident. Yet Mr. Herbert 

 Spencer represents this great mass and 

 variety of men as believing in the pre- 

 servation of accidental variations as " the 

 sole factor," and as the one adequate ex- 

 planation in all the wonders of organic life. 

 Nor can there be any better proof of 

 the strength of his impression upon this 

 subject than to observe his own tone 

 when he ventures to dissent. He speaks, 

 if not literally with bated breath, yet at 

 least with a deferential reverence for the 

 popular dogma, which is really a curious 

 phenomenon in the history of thought. 

 "We may fitly ask," he says, whether it 

 " accounts for " organic evolution. " On 

 critically examining the evidence," he 

 proceeds, "we shall find reason to think 

 that it by no means explains all that has 

 to be explained." And then follows an 

 allusion of curious significance. " Omit- 

 ting," says Mr. Spencer, "for the present 



