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full of them. But these are easily got rid of by the theory 
of the destruction of the weakest and the survival of the stron g®-\ 
in the struggle for existence. Yet history informs us that 
some of the weak races of mankind have a remarkable tenacity 
° f reT But if such a tendency exists in nature, this philosophy 
is hound to give us some account of its origin. Tendencies in 
nature on the side of progress are very useful ones. It is 
therefore, a serious question, How got they there . For g 
that appears, blind matter, force, and law might have produce 
tendencies suited to shiver systems to pi, sees, : and nov to cm n- 
struct them. Does not the existence of such tendencies imply 
the presence of superintending mind ? , r • f 
79. But, says this philosophy, all that is necessary is t 
continue advancing by slow and gradual variations ; and this 
glorious universe, with all its complicated adaptations, crowned 
by man, will appear at last ! We need not care for the ^°rt- 
ness nor the variety of the steps, nor for occasional movements 
in a backward direction ; for have we not infinite tune at our 
command? The cell, with its lowest forms of life or the 
intellectual or moral atoms diffused m yonder fire-mist, wi l m 
due time produce all the complicated organisms of living bem 0 s 
with their wondrous adaptations, and at length a Newton, a 
Shakespeare, and a self-denying Howard. 
80. But, I ask emphatically, are such short steps ail that is 
required? Shall we not be brought to a standstill by the 
absence of necessary conditions? Blind forces cannot effect 
their work except by the aid of things which, for want of a 
better name, we must call favourable chances, by which I mean 
forces intersecting one another at the right time and place. 
What myriads of forces must have worked m vain for the want 
of this condition of successful operation? Let me ill“strfi e 
this bv the example which Strauss has chosen as an illustration 
of the' manner in which we may readily account for the produ - 
tion of the various organisms of nature. Let US S “PP° > 
savs he, “ a herd of cattle in primitive times to be still destitute 
of horns, only possessed of powerful necks and projecting fore- 
heads. The herd is attacked by beasts of prey: it defends 
itself by running against them and butting with the head. 
The butting will be the more vigorous, the bulls the fitter to 
resist the beasts of prey, the harder the forehead with which he 
butts. Should this butting in an individual have developed 
into an incipient horny accretion, then such an individual would 
have the best chance of preserving his existence. If the less 
equipped bulls of such a herd were torn to pieces, then the 
