CH. II.] ANTHEOPOMOBPHIC THEISM. 403 



pliilosopliy ? On the other hand, it is a corollary from the 

 fundamental laws of life that psychical development has 

 followed the course and been determined by the conditions 

 above described. The view here defended may thus far claim 

 at least equal weight with those which maintain the validity 

 of the teleological hypothesis. But we have next to consider 

 a class of phenomena, in the explanation of which that hypo- 

 thesis appears at a signal disadvantage. 



The perfect adjustment of inner to outer relations is 

 that which constitutes perfect life. Were no chemical or 

 mechanical relations to arise without the organism, too 

 sudden, too intricate, or too unusual, to be met by internal 

 adaptations, death from disease and accident would no longer 

 occur. Were there no concurrence of phenomena defying 

 interpretation and refusing to be classified, there would be 

 perfect knowledge. Were no desires awakened, save such as 

 might be legitimately gratified by the requisite actions, there 

 would be perfect happiness. That the ultimate state of 

 humanity will be characterized by a relatively close ap- 

 proach to such an equilibrium between external require- 

 ments and internal resources, is a belief which, however para- 

 doxical it may seem to a superficial observer, is justified by 

 all that we know of history and of biology. It is with reason 

 that the modern mind sees its Golden Age in the distant 

 future, as the ancient mind saw it in the forgotten past. 

 But however bright and glorious may be the destination of 

 mankind, its onward progress is marked by irksome toil and 

 bitter sorrow. Though like the crusading children, in Arnold's 

 beautiful simile, we may cry from time to time, " Jerusalem is 

 reached ! " it is only to be rudely awakened from our delusion 

 — to realize that the goal is yet far off, and that many a weary 

 league must be traversed before we can attain it. Mean- 

 while, grinding misery is the lot of many, regret and disap- 

 pointment the portion of all. The life of the wisest man ia 

 chiefly made up of lost opportunities, defeated hopes, half- 



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