The Persistence of Force. 109 



There is an evident fallacy in this reasoning if we 

 take our stand on Mr. Spencer's principles. What is 

 that we call effect ? Clearly it is a manifestation of 

 force ; that which we call cause that is, cause within 

 the knowable is also a manifestation of force. What 

 then, is the relation that persists ? Is it the relation 

 of manifestation to manifestation, or force to force ? 

 It cannot be the relation of manifestation to manifes- 

 tation ; for the manifestations are ever changing ; the 

 course of cosmic movement is ceaseless mutation. The 

 relation of manifestation to manifestation is wholly 

 phenomenal mutable as the fleeting manifestations. 

 The persisting relation must then be that of force to 

 force. But do the forces that persist stand related ? 

 and if so, do they stand related in any knowable 

 mode ? The persisting forces are part of the inscrut- 

 able energy. A new and interesting question presents 

 itself. Do the inter-related forces exist as constituents 

 of the absolute force, continuing distinct throughout 

 all modes of its manifestation ? If so, we shall need 

 to know their law before we can claim to understand 

 their manifestations in the cosmos: if we are pre- 

 cluded from affirming anything of the forces consti- 

 tuting the incomprehensible, how can we assure 

 ourselves that the relations of forces wholly inscrut- 

 able, and whose continued persistence as distinct 

 sources of causative energy is doubtful, persist ? 

 We can draw no conclusion as to the persistence of 

 know r able relations front the persistence of the uncon- 



