204 The Evolution Hypothesis. 



necessarily have come into being as the effect of uni- 

 formity in the causative action of the environment. 



In the Darwinian theory the " incident forces " play 

 a part that is negative rather than positively opera- 

 tive. Nature sweeps out of the way the less fit, 

 and so makes room for the fittest to live and multiply. 

 All are more or less adapted to the environment ; 

 the incident forces bear against the ill-adjusted, and 

 thus indirectly favour those better suited to their con- 

 ditions. But the "survival of the fittest" will not 

 -account for the production of the fittest. Nothing can 

 survive till it has first been brought into existence. If 

 an organism is nearly balanced in adjustment to its 

 environment, it will probably " increase and multiply" 

 and very largely " replenish the earth." But there is 

 & very important antecedent inquiry : we want to 

 know first how these fittest have come to be. Here 

 Mr. Darwin's doctrine of natural selection fails us, the 

 interval between the fit and the more fit is not bridged 

 over. He cannot show us how those very qualities 

 that give advantage in the struggle have been pro- 

 duced. When the living creatures that are to wrestle 

 for the crown of life have been presented in the arena, 

 appearing with their acquired attributes and adap- 

 tations, nature, sternly just, may judge of their worth, 

 perpetuating the meritorious and punishing with 

 death those that do not deserve to live. But the real 

 question is not touched by a theory which can account 

 only for the removal of the less fit: organic evolution 



