206 EVOLUTION 



fundamental cause of variations, or at least 

 of those variations that count." 



We see, then, how Bergson psychologizes 

 life without needing to invoke the "spiritual 

 influx" — too much a "deus ex machina" — 

 which is demanded by Wallace, to explain 

 the genesis of man's higher faculties, and 

 indeed to explain the other great steps 

 in evolution. Metaphysical and abstract 

 though his interpretation remains, too shad- 

 owy as it is for the needs of the working 

 naturahst, we must recognize that here is a 

 fresh and forceful re-statement of the essen- 

 tial thought of Lamarck, of Goethe, of Robert 

 Chambers, of Butler, and of later vitalists; 

 in fact, of all who have most deeply felt the 

 supreme importance of the organismal fac- 

 tor in evolution. More even than this, here 

 is a new conversion of the philosopher into 

 the biologist, and when we recall the enthu- 

 siasm with which the late Prof. William 

 James proclaimed himself as the disciple 

 and exponent of Bergson, we see how fruit- 

 ful may be this re-opening alliance of the 

 abstract with the concrete thinker. Again, 

 as in Spencer's day, our biology and our 

 psychology have to be correlated and unified 

 anew, and all towards the philosophy of 

 evolution. Still, with all respect to the phi- 

 losophers, who have taken this great step 



