lations of the Non-Ego, they must be responded to by conceptions that are the substrata of all other relations in the Ego. Being the constant and infinitely repeated elements of thought, they must become the automatic elements of thought-the elements of thought which it is impossible to get rid of the 'forms of intuition.'"

at which the insects stand apart when time. As the substratum of all other rethey sweep their hemispheres and build their cells is "organically remembered." Man also carries with him the physical texture of his ancestry, as well as the inherited intellect bound up with it. The defects of intelligence during infancy and youth are probably less due to a lack of individual experience than to the fact that in early life the cerebral organization is still incomplete. The period necessary! for completion varies with the race and with the individual. As a round shot outstrips a rifled one on quitting the muzzle of the gun, so the lower race in childhood may outstrip the higher. But the higher eventually overtakes the lower, and surpasses it in range. As regards individuals, we do not always find the precocity of youth prolonged to mental power in maturity, while the dulness of boyhood is sometimes strikingly contrasted with the intellectual energy of after years. Newton, when a boy, was weakly, and he showed no particular aptitude at school; but in his eighteenth year he went to Cambridge, and soon afterwards astonished his teachers by his power of dealing with geometrical problems. During his quiet youth his brain was slowly preparing itself to be the organ of those energies which he subsequently displayed.

By myriad blows (to use a Lucretian phrase) the image and superscription of the external world are stamped as states of consciousness upon the organism, the depth of the impression depending upon the number of the blows. When two or more phenomena occur in the environment invariably together, they are stamped to the same depth or to the same relief, and are indissolubly connected. And here we come to the threshold of a great question. Seeing that he could in no way rid himself of the consciousness of space and time, Kant assumed them to be necessary "forms of thought," the moulds and shapes into which our intuitions are thrown, belonging to ourselves solely and without objective existence. With unexpected power and success Mr. Spencer brings the hereditary experience theory, as he holds it, to bear upon this question. If there exist certain external relations which are experienced by all organisms at all instants of their waking lives-relations which are absolutely constant and universal there will be established answering internal relations that are absolutely constant and universal. Such relations we have in those of space and

Throughout this application and extension of the "law of inseparable association," Mr. Spencer stands on totally different ground from Mr. John Stuart Mill, invoking the registered experiences of the race instead of the experiences of the individual. His overthrow of Mr. Mill's restriction of experience is, I think, complete. That restriction ignores the power of organizing experience furnished at the outset to each individual; it ignores the different degrees of this power possessed by different races and by different individuals of the same race. Were there not in the human brain a potency antecedent to all experience, a dog or cat ought to be as capable of education as a man. These predetermined internal relations are independent of the experiences of the individual. The human brain is the "organized register of infinitely numerous experiences received during the evolution of life, or rather during the evolution of that series of organisms through which the human organism has been reached. The effects of the most uniform and frequent of these experiences have been successively bequeathed, principal and interest, and have slowly mounted to that high intelligence which lies latent in the brain of the infant. Thus it happens that the European inherits from twenty to thirty cubic inches more of brain than the Papuan. Thus it happens that faculties, as of music, which scarcely exist in some inferior races, become congenital in superior ones. Thus it happens that out of savages unable to count up to the number of their fingers, and speaking a language containing only nouns and verbs, arise at length our Newtons and Shakespeares."

At the outset of this address it was stated that physical theories which lie beyond experience are derived by a process of abstraction from experience. It is instructive to note from this point of view the successive introduction of new conceptions. The idea of the attraction of gravitation was preceded by the observation of the attraction of iron by a magnet, and of light bodies by rubbed amber.

The polarity of magnetism and electricity | we naturally and rightly reject the monappealed to the senses; and thus became strous notion that out of such matter any the substratum of the conception that form of life could possibly arise. But are atoms and molecules are endowed with the definitions complete? Everything definite, attractive, and repellent poles, depends on the answer to be given to this by the play of which definite forms of question. Trace the line of life backcrystalline architecture are produced. wards, and see it approaching more and Thus molecular force becomes structural. more to what we call the purely physical It required no great boldness of thought condition. We reach at length those orto extend its play into organic nature, ganisms which I have compared to drops and to recognize in molecular force the of oil suspended in a mixture of alcohol agency by which both plants and animals and water. We reach the protogenes of are built up. In this way out of experi- Haeckel, in which we have a "type disence arise conceptions which are wholly tinguishable from a fragment of albumen ultra-experiential. only by its finely granular character." The origination of life is a point Can we pause here? We break a magnet lightly touched upon, if at all, by Mr. and find two poles in each of its fragDarwin and Mr. Spencer. Diminishing ments. We continue the process of gradually the number of progenitors, Mr. breaking, but however small the parts, Darwin comes at length to one "primor- each carries with it, though enfeebled, dial form; but he does not say, as far the polarity of the whole. And when we as I remember, how he supposes this can break no longer, we prolong the inform to have been introduced. He tellectual vision to the polar molecules. quotes with satisfaction the words of a Are we not urged to do something similar celebrated author and divine who had in the case of life? Is there not a temp"gradually learnt to see that it is just as tation to close to some extent with Lucrenoble a conception of the Deity to be- tius, when he affirms that "Nature is lieve He created a few original forms, ca- seen to do all things spontaneously of pable of self-development into other and herself without the meddling of the needful forms, as to believe that He re- gods?" or with Bruno, when he declares quired a fresh act of creation to supply that matter is not "that mere empty cathe voids caused by the action of His pacity which philosophers have pictured laws." What Mr. Darwin thinks of this her to be, but the universal mother who view of the introduction of life I do not brings forth all things as the fruit of her know. Whether he does or does not in- own womb?" The questions here raised troduce his "primordial form " by a crea- are inevitable. They are approaching us tive act, I do not know. But the ques- with accelerated speed, and it is not a tion will inevitably be asked, “How came matter of indifference whether they are the form there?" With regard to the introduced with reverence or irreverence. diminution of the number of created Abandoning all disguise, the confession forms, one does not see that much advan- that I feel bound to make before you is tage is gained by it. The anthropomor- that I prolong the vision backward across phism, which it seemed the object of Mr. the boundary of the experimental eviDarwin to set aside, is as firmly asso-dence, and discern in that matter, which ciated with the creation of a few forms as we in our ignorance and notwithstanding with the creation of a multitude. We our professed reverence for its Creator need clearness and thoroughness here. have hitherto covered with opprobrium, Two courses, and two only, are possible. the promise and potency of every form Either let us open our doors freely to the and quality of life. conception of creative acts, or, abandoning them, let us radically change our notions of matter. If we look at matter as pictured by Democritus, and as defined for generations in our scientific textbooks, the absolute impossibility of any form of life coming out of it would be sufficient to render any other hypothesis preferable; but the definitions of matter gives in our text-books were intended to cover its purely physical and mechanical properties. And taught as we have been to regard these definitions as complete,

The "materialism" here enunciated may be different from what you suppose, and I therefore crave your gracious patience to the end. "The question of an external world," says Mr. J. S. Mill, "is the great battle-ground of metaphysics." * Mr. Mill himself reduces external phenomena to "possibilities of sensation." Kant, as we have seen, made time and space "forms" of our own intuitions. Fichte, having first by the inexorable

* "Examination of Hamilton," p. 154.

species differentiated, and mind unfolded from their prepotent elements in the immeasurable past. There is, you will observe, no every rank materialism here.

logic of his understanding proved himself to be a mere link in that chain of eternal causation which holds so rigidly in nature, violently broke the chain by making nature, and all that it inherits, an The strength of the doctrine of evoluapparition of his own mind.* And it is tion, consists, not in an experimental by no means easy to combat such no- demonstration (for the subject is hardly tions. For when I say I see you, and accessible to this mode of proof), but in that I have not the least doubt about it, its general harmony with the method of the reply is, that what I am really con- nature as hitherto known. From conscious of is an affection of my own trast, moreover, it derives enormous relaretina. And if I urge that I can check tive strength. On the one side we have my sight of you by touching you, the a theory (if it could with any propriety retort would be that I am equally trans- be so called) derived, as were the theogressing the limits of fact; for what I ries referred to at the beginning of this am really conscious of is, not that you address, not from the study of nature, but are there, but that the nerves of my hand from the observation of men - a theory have undergone a change. All we hear, which converts the Power whose garment and see, and touch, and taste, and smell, is seen in the visible universe into an are, it would be urged, mere variations Artificer, fashioned after the human of our own condition, beyond which, model, and acting by broken efforts as even to the extent of a hair's breadth, we man is seen to act. On the other side cannot go. That anything answering to we have the conception that all we see our impressions exists outside of our- around us, and all we feel within us — selves is not a fact, but an inference, to the phenomena of physical nature as well which all validity would be denied by an as those of the human mind have their idealist like Berkeley, or by a sceptic unsearchable roots in a cosmical life, if like Hume. Mr. Spencer takes another I dare apply the term, an infinitesimal line. With him, as with the uneducated span of which only is offered to the inman, there is no doubt or question as to vestigation of man. And even this span the existence of an external world. But is only knowable in part. We can trace he differs from the uneducated, who think the development of a nervous system, that the world really is what conscious- and correlate with it the parallel pheness represents it to be. Our states of nomena of sensation and thought. We consciousness are mere symbols of an see with undoubting certainty that they outside entity which produces them and go hand in hand. But we try to soar determines the order of their succession, in a vacuum the moment we seek to but the real nature of which we can comprehend the connection between never know. In fact the whole process them. An Archimedean fulcrum is here of evolution is the manifestation of a required which the human mind cannot Power absolutely inscrutable to the in- command; and the effort to solve the tellect of man. As little in our day as in problem, to borrow an illustration from the days of Job can man by searching an illustrious friend of mine, is like the find this Power out. Considered funda-effort of a man trying to lift himself by mentally, it is by the operation of an his own waistband. All that has been insoluble mystery that life is evolved, here said is to be taken in connection

"Bestimmung des Menschen."

In a paper, at once popular and profound, entitled "Recent Progress in the Theory of Vision," contained in the volume of lectures by Helmholtz, published by Longmans, this symbolism of our states of consciousness is also dwelt upon. The impressions of sense are the mere signs of external things. In this paper Helmholtz contends strongly against the view that the consciousness of space is inborn; and he evidently doubts the power of the chick to pick up grains of corn without some preliminary lessons. On this point, he says, further experiments are needed. Such experiments have been since made by Mr. Spalding, aided, I believe, in some of his observations by the accomplished and deeply lamented Lady Amberley; and they seem to prove conclusively that the chick does not need a single moment's tuition to teach it to stand, run, govern the muscles of its eyes, and peck. Helmholtz, however, is contending against the notion of pre-established harmony; and I am not aware of his views as to the

organization of experiences of race or breed.

with this fundamental truth. When "nascent senses" are spoken of, when "the differentiation of a tissue at first vaguely sensitive all over" is spoken of, and when these processes are associated with "the modification of an organism by its environment," the same parallelism, without contact, or even approach to contact, is implied. There is no fusion possible between the two classes of facts

no motor energy in the intellect of man to carry it without logical rupture from the one to the other.

Further, the doctrine of evolution derives man, in his totality, from the interaction of organism and environment

All

through countless ages past. The human | pation. What we should oppose, to the understanding, for example - the faculty death if necessary, is every attempt to which Mr. Spencer has turned so skil- found upon this elemental bias of man's fully round upon its own antecedents nature a system which should exercise is itself a result of the play between or- despotic sway over his intellect. I do ganism and environment through cosmic not fear any such consummation. Science ranges of time. Never surely did pre- has already to some extent leavened the scription plead so irresistible a claim. world, and it will leaven it more and But then it comes to pass that, over and more. I should look upon the mild light above his understanding, there are many of science breaking in upon the minds of other things appertaining to man whose the youth of Ireland, and strengthening prescriptive rights are quite as strong as gradually to the perfect day, as a surer that of the understanding itself. It is a check to any intellectual or spiritual result, for example, of the play of organ- tyranny which might threaten this island, ism and environment that sugar is sweet than the laws of princes or the swords of and that aloes are bitter, that the smell emperors. Where is the cause of fear? of henbane differs from the perfume of We fought and won our battle even in a rose. Such facts of consciousness (for the Middle Ages: why should we doubt which, by the way, no adequate reason the issue of a conflict now? has ever yet been rendered) are quite as The impregnable position of science old as the understanding itself; and may be described in a few words. many other things can boast an equally religious theories, schemes, and systems, ancient origin. Mr. Spencer at one place which embrace notions of cosmogony, or refers to that most powerful of passions which otherwise reach into its domain, -the amatory passion - as one which, must, in so far as they do this, submit to when it first occurs, is antecedent to all the control of science, and relinquish all relative experience whatever; and we thought of controlling it. Acting othermay pass its claim as being at least as wise proved disastrous in the past, and ancient and as valid as that of the under- it is simply fatuous to-day. Every sysstanding itself. Then there are such tem which would escape the fate of an things woven into the texture of man as the organism too rigid to adjust itself to its feeling of awe, reverence, wonder and environment, must be plastic to the exnot alone the sexual love just referred to, tent that the growth of knowledge debut the love of the beautiful, physical and mands. When this truth has been thormoral, in nature, poetry, and art. There oughly taken in, rigidity will be relaxed, is also that deep-set feeling which, since exclusiveness diminished, things the earliest dawn of history, and probably deemed essential will be dropped, and for ages prior to all history, incorporated elements now rejected will be assimiitself in the religions of the world. You lated. The lifting of the life is the essenwho have escaped from these religions in tial point; and as long as dogmatism, the high-and-dry light of the understand- fanaticism, and intolerance are kept out, ing may deride them; but in so doing various modes of leverage may be emyou deride accidents of form merely, and ployed to raise life to a higher level. fail to touch the immovable basis of the Science itself not unfrequently derives religious sentiment in the emotional na- motive power from an ultra-scientific ture of man. To yield this sentiment source. Whewell speaks of enthusiasm reasonable satisfaction is the problem of of temper as a hindrance to science; problems at the present hour. And gro- but he means the enthusiasm of weak tesque in relation to scientific culture as heads. There is a strong and resolute many of the religions of the world have enthusiasm in which science finds an been and are dangerous, nay, destruc-ally; and it is to the lowering of this tive, to the dearest privileges of freemen as some of them undoubtedly have been, and would, if they could, be again—it will be wise to recognize them as the forms of force, mischievous, if permitted to intrude on the region of kuowledge, over which it holds no command, but capable of being guided by liberal thought to noble issues in the region of emotion, which is its proper sphere. It is vain to oppose this force with a view to its extir-itself from literature.

now

Mr.

fire, rather than to a diminution of in-
tellectual insight, that the lessening pro-
ductiveness of men of science in their
maturer years is to be ascribed.
Buckle sought to detach intellectual
achievement from moral force.
gravely erred; for without moral force
to whip it into action, the achievements
of the intellect would be poor indeed.

He

It has been said that science divorces
The statement,

like so many others, arises from lack of sion. But there would have been no knowledge. A glance at the less techni- material deviation from the views set cal writings of its leaders of its Hehm- forth. As regards myself, they are not holtz, its Huxley, and its Du Bois-Rey- the growth of a day; and as regards you, mond-would show what breadth of lit- I thought you ought to know the envierary culture they command. Where ronment which, with or without your conamong modern writers can you find their sent, is rapidly surrounding you, and in superiors in clearness and vigour of lit-relation to which some adjustment on erary style? Science desires no isola- your part may be necessary. A hint of tion, but freely combines with every Hamlet's, however, teaches us all how effort towards the bettering of man's the troubles of common life may be estate. Single-handed, and supported ended; and it is perfectly possible for not by outward sympathy, but by inward you and me to purchase intellectual peace force, it has built at least one great wing at the price of intellectual death. The of the many-mansioned home which man world is not without refuges of this dein his totality demands. And if rough scription; nor is it wanting in persons walls and protruding rafter-ends indicate who seek their shelter and try to persuade that on one side the edifice is still incom- others to do the same. I would exhort plete, it is only by wise combination of you to refuse such shelter, and to scorn the parts required with those already such base repose to accept, if the irrevocably built that we can hope for choice be forced upon you, commotion completeness. There is no necessary before stagnation, the leap of the torrent incongruity between what has been ac- before the stillness of the swamp. In complished and what remains to be done. the one there is at all events life, and The moral glow of Socrates, which we all therefore hope; in the other, none. I feel by ignition, has in it nothing incom- have touched on debatable questions, patible with the physics of Anaxagoras and led you over dangerous ground which he so much scorned, but which he and this partly with the view of telling would hardly scorn to-day. And here I you, and through you the world, that as am reminded of one amongst us, hoary, regards these questions science claims but still strong, whose prophet-voice, unrestricted right of search. It is not to some thirty years ago, far more than any the point to say that the views of Lucreother of this age, unlocked whatever of tius and Bruno, of Darwin and Spencer, life and nobleness lay latent in its most may be wrong. Here I should agree with gifted minds one fit to stand beside you, deeming it indeed certain that these Socrates or the Maccabean Eleazar, and views will undergo modification. But the to dare and suffer all that they suffered point is, that, whether right or wrong, we and dared-fit, as he once said of claim the freedom to discuss them. The Fichte, "to have been the teacher of the ground which they cover is scientific Stoa, and to have discoursed of beauty ground; and the right claimed is one and virtue in the groves of Academe." made good through tribulation and anWith a capacity to grasp physical princi-guish, inflicted and endured in darker ples which his friend Goethe did not possess, and which even total lack of exercise has not been able to reduce to atrophy, it is the world's loss that he, in the vigour of his years, did not open his mind and sympathies to science, and make its conclusions a portion of his message to mankind. Marvellously endowed as he was equally equipped on ths side of the heart and of the understanding-he might have done much towards teaching us how to reconcile the claims of both, and to enable them in coming times to dwell together in unity of spirit and in the bond of peace.

times than ours, but resulting in the immortal victories which science has won for the human race. I would set forth equally the inexorable advance of man's understanding in the path of knowledge, and the unquenchable claims of his emotional nature which the understanding can never satisfy. The world embraces not only a Newton, but a Shakespearenot only a Boyle, but a Raphael - not only a Kant, but a Beethoven' not only a Darwin, but a Carlyle. Not in each of these, but in all, is human nature whole. They are not opposed, but supplementary- not mutually exclusive, but reconAnd now the end is come. With more cilable. And if, still unsatisfied, the time, or greater strength and knowledge, human mind, with the yearning of a pilwhat has been here said might have been grim for his distant home, will turn to the better said, while worthy matters here mystery from which it has emerged, seekomitted might have received fit expres-ing so to fashion it as to give unity to