34 THE CREED OF SCIENCE, RELIGIOUS AND MORAL. 



tained. The hypothesis of the spontaneous generation of 

 elementary life by chemical combination seems a mere 

 trifle in comparison with this tremendous hypothesis of 

 the creation of all other living things merely by Nature's 

 constant preference of individuals possessing an excep- 

 tional advantage which came at first by chance. And 

 yet, when we read once again the Origin of Species, we 

 see that natural selection must have done much, especially 

 when supplemented by the subsidiary cause of sexual 

 selection (itself, however, a species of natural selection). 

 Between them, these agencies have done much : but have 

 they accomplished all ? Has natural selection been the 

 sole cause of all from the scientific point of view, to say 

 nothing now of the philosophical ? I do not think so for 

 the above reasons ; but the reasons why I do not think 

 natural selection a sufficient explanation of the develop- 

 ment of man in particular will appear more fully in the 

 following chapter. I shall only here say that, if natural 

 selection be offered, not merely as a scientific hypothesis, 

 which goes a considerable way in the explanation of the 

 origin and differences of existing species, but also as a full 

 scientific explanation, we cannot accept it without a larger 

 reservation of doubt than belongs to the generality of 

 scientific hypotheses ; and if it be offered, not merely as 

 a scientific, but also as a philosophical explanation, which, 

 together with its further developments, finally disposes of 

 all questions of the beginning and present existence of 

 things and species, and which frees the mind of man from 

 all further need to ask questions, if, in short, it is to be a 

 final philosophical as well as scientific explanation, we 

 cannot accept it at all. 



At the same time, the hypothesis is of the very greatest 

 significance and importance in its philosophical refer- 

 ence. It opens out a new line of inquiry, and suggests a 



