Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-06-09
THE WRITINGS OF HEnnERr
SPENCER.

IN the 6PiscopoI cnurcn, oy Wnom ne was
in part educated, is attracting as much at
tention as a philosophical essayiss as any
man now writing in the English language,
unless it be John Stuart Mill. The ''prin-
ciples Of Biology" the first volume Of
which is just published BY the Appletons,
is q work that cannot be read lightly. 1t
is one Of intense thought in every line,
and yet Its reasoning is so clear, consecu.
tive and full Of life, so simply and perfect
ly arranged, that il ought to be studied
even by those least disposed to sympa.
thize with the authors views. In this
book he gathers up and throws into a
systematic form much that has been al
ready published in outline. His First
Principles" have been published about q
year or two. In these he anfolds . strong
attachment to Dr.. Darwin's theory. The
doctrine of evolution is in fact that Of Gre
alton by law, development, gradual
growth and progression, as opposed to,
special creations. This view has had
much prejudice excited against it from the
supposi,ion that it involved atheism. On
the contrary, j. affords to the devout atheist
the mobiles, view Of the character, attributes
and plans of a Supreme Being.
Biology, the science which treats oflite'
he divides into three parts-the Data. the
Introduction, and the Evolution Of Life.
"The aim OF the whole" the author says,
" is to set forth the general truths Of BIZ
ology as illustrative and as interpreted by
the laws of evolution. Prof. Huxly and
DR.. Hooker have supplied me with infor-
nation where my own was deficient, and
kindly pointed out errors Of detail into
which I had fallen. They must not. how
ever, be held committed to any Of the
enunciated doctrines that are not among
the recognized truths Of Biology" The
work, therefore, contains much of the
very latest scientific information on the
subject Of which he treats. While no one
would perhaps be prepared to endorse all
his views but himself, there is q breadth
of scientific generalization which compre-
hends the researches Of Darwin and Hux-
ley into nature, and applies them all to
give q knowledge Of what lies back Of ths
facts and principles established.
Considering arst organic matter, ther
the forces that act upon it, the autho,
mex. shows the reactions oforganic matter
on these forces. Here he gets the frs
proximate ideas Of life. Life is change
a series Of changes simultaneous, success
sive and heterogeneous. It is q defnit'
combination of these changes; it is eth
definite combination Of Heterogeneous
changes, both Simultaneous and success
sive," with which we are most familiar
but which yet is hardest to define, while
without defining it, all attempts at a sci
en.i6c knowledge Of life fall shor. Of fur
nishing any adequate conception. Life
he thinks, is evolution, or an unfoldin!
from the action and reaction, producing
third or progressive motion. Thus ere
alton is steadily progressing-a growth,
more and more intricate series Of evolu'
ton, working on through vast ages-al
the future growing out Of all the part
nothing wasted, nothing lost, nothing BY
chance; oil operating uniformly and BY
laws Of infinite wisdom a~nd-goodness.
In his Principles of Psychology" thi
idea is carried out vet more fully. 1t i
this: "Just in proportion as there is
persis,ency in the order or relationship o
events in nature, so will there be a persis
tency in the connection which subsists be
tween the corresponding states OF con
seriousness. The succession or co-exist
ence of external p%henomena. produces. o
course, q like succession or co-existencC
in our mental perceptions; and when tn
two physical states often occur together
there is at length established an interna
tendency for these states always to recul
in the same order" Starting, therefore
from this law, the author first traces tn
growth of the human intelligence through
the lower phenomena Of reflex action o,
instinct, then shows how our unconscioui
life merges in = succession Of consciou'
phenomena. and last carries us upwart
through the regions Of memory to tn
highest exercise Of reason and normal de
velopment of the feelings.
Such is the system Of philosophy o
which this volume forms & part-perhap
the most critical and important. part o
the whole, the discussion Of what life is
Coleridge attempted this, and failed to ex
press it for the want Of q sufficiently care
full study Of chemical action and reaction
All our expressions Of it must be partia
and imperfect ; it is a mystery, but it /
good to let the mind contemplate sue
mysteries. At any rate, NJ man can b
in future a mental philosopher withou
the careful study Of this system.
The QUESTION AND II Vorz.-Th,
81