294 FROM COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART iv 



two. Men superficially regarded are competitors, but 

 essentially they are their brothers' keepers, and mem- 

 bers of one great fellowship. 



Yet one more attempt may be made to find a guide 

 for conduct in phenomenal knowledge, if evolution 

 everywhere and necessarily is equivalent to progress. 

 We have met this view before more than once ; 

 first in the appeal to history, then in Mr. Spencer's 

 cosmic doctrine of evolution. Here too, if anywhere, 

 the contendings of Mr. C. W. Williams 1 are relevant. 

 Though it offers very little guidance in detail, yet this 

 assertion demands to be looked at. It can be held, 

 and is, apart from any claim to knowledge of the 

 factors of evolution. 



We do not attempt to say anything further regard- 

 ing merely physical evolution. In spite of Mr. Spen- 

 cer, we doubt the possibility of laying down laws a 

 priori for that process. But we must consider, in 

 the first place, biological evolution, or the evolution 

 of species. And secondly, we shall pass on to speak 

 of evolution in human history. 



If we might assume natural selection to be the key 

 to organic evolution, we should have a good deal of 

 reason for identifying evolution with progress. " Nat- 

 ural selection " seems to imply the transforming of 

 minute random variations into definite serviceable 

 changes. If everywhere there is movement, the 

 movement ought everywhere to result in progressive 

 efficiency or adaptedness. Yet the assertion is a dif- 

 ficult one. 



First of all, there is one very plain condition, which 



1 Review of the Systems of Ethics founded on Evolution. 



