INTRODUCTION 21 



The above, needless to say, is not the method followed 

 by Nature in evolving living Continuity, but nevertheless 

 it can be shown that a special form of progressive multi- 

 plication of Continuity has been brought about by her. Also, 

 that fundamentally the " evolution of species " has been 

 the evolution of Continuity-types in an ascending scale, 

 and that within each of these there has been origination 

 of animal and vegetable species, as the term "species" is 

 generally understood. 



The evolution of Living Continuity, whose attempted 

 demonstration is the main object of this book, is, it may 

 be remarked, only one aspect of an evolution of Continuity 

 going on throughout creation. Any material system what- 



3>° 



o o o 



° o0 o 



Fio. 1. — An example of the evolution of Continuity on the 

 principle of multiplying the unit, a, collection of discon- 

 tinuous beads ; b, a continuous chain of single-bead units ; 

 c, a, similar chain of double-bead units ; d, one of quadruple- 

 bead units. If the original collection of beads numbered 

 16, the evolution of Continuity finishes with d, on the 

 system followed. 



soever, be it that of the invisible atom, or that of the planet, 

 or of a solar system, preserves its identity as a system 

 owing to forces which have built up and maintain the 

 (relative) continuity of its component parts. Matter owes 

 its existence to the institution of Continuity. The natural 

 evolution of non-living Matter has not, however, in terms 

 of Continuity, advanced as far as the natural evolution of 

 living Matter. Everywhere it has attained to the Con- 

 tinuity of the molecule by what we may call an inevitable 

 process, and then, except in one direction, has leapt to the 

 varyingly multiplied and " accidental " Continuity of Mass. 

 The exception mentioned refers to crystallisation, where 

 molecules of definite identity are naturally united in Con- 



