1G8 COSMIC PHILO^SOPEY. [ft. vi. 



a snow-crystal or of a butterfly's life, or long, as in the 

 duration of our planetary system. It has been proved that 

 the process of Evolution, during which Matter is chiefly 

 being concentrated while Motion is chiefly being lost, must, 

 under certain assigned conditions, result in a continuous 

 change from a state of homogeneity, indefiniteness, and 

 incoherence to a state of heterogeneity, definiteness, and 

 coherence. 



With the aid of these demonstrated truths of Physics, 

 we have surveyed the histoiy of the kuowable universe, 

 intent upon finding some provisional answer to the time- 

 honoured question of Philosophy — whence came we, what 

 are we, and whither do we tend ? Throughout all the pro- 

 vinces of nature we have traced that aspect of the stupendous 

 process of Evolution, which consists in the transition from 

 indefinite incoherent homogeneity to definite coherent hetero- 

 geneity. We have seen it exemplified in the development 

 of our planetary system from a relatively homogeneous ball 

 of vapour. We have witnessed it as shown in the increasing 

 physical and chemical diversity and interdependence of the 

 various portions of the surface of our cooling earth, and in 

 those wonderful differentiations by wliich solar radiance is 

 metamorphosed into the innumerable forms of energy mani- 

 fested alike by winds and waves, by growing plants and 

 animals, and by reasoning men. We have described it in 

 some detail as revealed in the gradual change of a seed into 

 a tree and of an ovum into an adult mammah We have 

 observed it also in the increasing chemical complexity which 

 at a remote epoch resulted in the formation of living proto- 

 plasm ; and we have seen how from this earliest protoplasm 

 there have arisen, in the course of ages well-nigh infinite in 

 duration, the myriad forms of animal and vegetable life 

 The progress toward higher complexity and higher organiza- 

 tion has likewise been discovered to be taking place in 

 p-^octsses as well as in things. It has been shown that Life 13 



