THE LAW OF EVOLUTION CONCLUDED. 4Q7 



System have for us a significance equal to that which the 

 sizes, forms, and relative distances of its members possess. 

 And of the phenomena presented by an organism, it must 

 be admitted that the combined sensible and insensible ac- 

 tions we call its life, do not yield in interest to its structural 

 traits. Leaving out, however, all implied reference to the 

 way in which these two orders of facts concern us, it is clear 

 that with each re-distribution of matter there necessarily 

 goes a re-distribution of motion ; and that the unified knowl- 

 edge constituting Philosophy, must comprehend both as- 

 pects of the transformation. 



While, then, we have to contemplate the matter of an 

 evolving aggregate as undergoing, not progressive integra- 

 tion simply, but as simultaneously undergoing various sec- 

 ondary re-distributions; we have also to contemplate the 

 motion of an evolving aggregate, not only as being gradually 

 dissipated, but as passing through many secondary re-distri- 

 butions on the way toward dissipation. As the structural 

 complexities that arise during compound evolution, are in- 

 cidental to the progress from the .extreme of diffusion to the 

 extreme of concentration; so the functional complexities 

 accompanying them, are incidental to the progress from the 

 greatest quantity of contained motion to the least quantity 

 of contained motion. And we have to state these con- 

 comitants of both transformations, as well as their begin- 

 nings and ends. 



Our formula, therefore, needs an additional clause. To 

 combine this satisfactorily with the clauses as they stand in 

 the last chapter, is scarcely practicable ; and for convenience 

 of expression it will be best to change their order. Doing 

 this, and making the requisite addition, the formula finally 

 stands thus : Evolution is an integration of matter and 

 concomitant dissipation of motion; during which the 

 matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity 

 to a definite, coherent heterogeneity ; and during which the 

 retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation. 



