1 8 A GREAT CONFESSION CHAP. 



shouting multitudes who think they 

 follow him. Mr. Herbert Spencer here 

 directs upon their confusions the search- 

 ing light of his analysis. He most 

 truly distinguishes Darwin's hypothesis 

 in itself, first from the theory of " organic 

 evolution in general," and secondly from 

 " the theory of evolution at large. " This 

 analysis roughly corresponds with the 

 distinctions I have pointed out in the 

 preceding paper; and when he points 

 to the confounding of these distinctions 

 under one phrase as the secret of wide 

 delusions, he has got hold of a clue by 

 which much further unravelling may be 

 done. Guided by this clue, and in the 

 light of this analysis, he brings down 

 Darwin's theory to a place and a rank in 

 science which must be still further offen- 

 sive to those whom he designates as the 

 " mass of readers." He speaks of it as 

 " a great contribution to the theory of 



