i6 INTRODUCTION 



course of living Nature. That clue was the principle 

 of the Struggle for Life. After the years of storm 

 and stress which follow the intrusion into the world 

 of all great thoughts, this principle was universally 

 accepted as the key to all the sciences which deal 

 with life. So ceaseless was Mr. Darwin's emphasis 

 upon this factor, and so masterful his influence, that, 

 after the first sharp conflict, even the controversy 

 died down. With scarce a challenge the Struggle 

 for Life became accepted by the scientific world as 

 the governing factor in development, and the drama 

 of Evolution was made to hinge entirely upon its 

 action. It became the " part " from which science 

 henceforth went on " to reconstruct the whole," and 

 biology, sociology, and teleology, were built anew 

 on this foundation. 



That the Struggle for Life has been a prominent 

 actor in the drama is certain. Further research has 

 only deepened the impression of the magnitude and 

 universality of this great and far-reaching law. But 

 that it is the sole or even the main agent in the 

 process of Evolution must be denied. Creation 

 is a drama, and no drama was ever put upon the 

 stage with only one actor. The Struggle for Life 

 is the " Villain " of the piece, no more ; and, like 

 the " Villain " in the play, its chief function is 

 to re-act upon the other players for higher ends. 



