Postulutes of Evolution. 117 



the cosmos may be adopted. We may attempt to' 

 think it as the bounded manifestation of an infinite 

 force ; but we shall then be in no better position. We 

 shall have increased our burdens and gained nothing ; 

 for we cannot determine the self -revelation of the 

 infinite, or trace the bounds within which the limitless 

 energy is manifested. 



The postulate fails us, therefore, whatever be the 

 mode in which we try to represent it in thought. 

 In the book of Genesis, as written by the evolutionist, 

 the first sentence is unintelligible. 



2. The evolution hypothesis assumes the continu- 

 ance of the evolving force, throughout all time, in 

 invariable equality of amount. 



Having already discussed the possibility of quanti- 

 fying the force of which persistence is predicated, it 

 is not needful to repeat the argument.* We may 

 note briefly that it is incompetent to human intelli- 

 gence, in any mode of representing the cosmos in 

 thought, to conceive the sum of it. If it be infinite, 

 the total is in terms declared to be immeasurable ; if 

 it be finite, it is still immeasurable, for it is practically 

 limitless to thought ; if it be the bounded manifesta- 

 tion of an infinite power, we are as far afield as before 

 in the attempt to quantify. The sum of force must, 

 in any case, remain undefined. It is, therefore, im- 

 possible to compare the amount of force existing at 



* Supra, Ch'apter VIII., IV. 



