ANTHROPOMORPHISM AND COSMISM 



familiar phenomena, the same result eventually 

 follows in the case of those which are more re- 

 mote. The ultimate phase of this process, char- 

 acterized by the complete extrusion of volitional 

 agencies and the universal substitution of the 

 conception of invariable sequence, becomes pos- 

 sible only after an immense development of 

 physical science. Volitional agencies, therefore, 

 were not at once extruded, but were only gen- 

 eralized more and more, and gradually sepa- 

 rated further and further from the phenomena 

 which they were supposed to produce. A great 

 step was taken in philosophy when the Titan 

 dynasty was dethroned, and the celestial and 

 terrestrial provinces of phenomena partitioned 

 between Zeus and Poseidon. A still greater step 

 was taken when God, considered as an arbitrary 

 volitional agency, was entirely separated from 

 the universe of tolerably uniform sequences, 

 interposing with his will only on rare occasions. 

 This is the cruder form of monotheism, and in 

 it the metaphysical mode of thought is very 

 conspicuous. In place of the innumerable voli- 

 tional agents of the older theosoph'y, we have 

 now innumerable occulta vires, inherent virtues, 

 vital principles, essential properties, and abstract 

 entities ; at the bottom of all, the universal oc- 

 cult entity Nature, which is regarded as produ- 

 cing phenomena with considerable uniformity, 

 save when the Volition behind sees fit to inter- 

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