1 88 PIONEERS OF EVOLUTION. 



much scorn, are shown by the man of science to be 

 the more marvellous in their attributes the more they 

 are investigated, and are also proved to be in their 

 ultimate natures absolutely incomprehensible — as 

 absolutely incomprehensible as sensation, or the 

 conscious something which perceives it — whoever 

 clearly recognises this truth, will see that the course 

 proposed does not imply a degradation of the so- 

 called higher, but an elevation of the so-called lower. 

 Perceiving, as he will, that the Materialist and 

 Spiritualist controversy is a mere war of words, — in 

 which the disputants are equally absurd, each think- 

 ing tha't he understands that which it is impossible 

 for any man to understand, — he will perceive how 

 utterly groundless is the fear referred to. Being 

 fully convinced that no matter what nomenclature is 

 used, the ultimate mystery must remain the same, 

 he will be as ready to formulate all .phenomena in 

 terms of Matter, Motion, and Force, as in any other 

 terms; and will rather indeed anticipate, that only 

 in a doctrine which recognises the Unknown Cause 

 as co-extensive with all orders of phenomena, can 

 there be a consistent Religion, or a consistent 

 Philosophy." 



This is clear enough ; yet such is the crass density 

 of some objectors that eighteen years after the above 

 was written, Mr. Spencer, in answering criticisms 

 on First Principles, had to rebut the charge that he 

 believed matter to consist of " space-occupying 

 units, having shape and measurement." 



