New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-04-12
future and reveals the august method by which the D

the foundation Of philosophy Of nature and OF man VIII
be apparent upon little reflection. The only explanation
which astronomy offer Of the great facts of the solar
system is that il originally existed as dfused nebua,
and through the lapse Of mmeasurabe ages has been
slowly evolved into ts present state So also, with the
earth Geology is but the biography Of the planet, and
that but history Of its evolution from the primitive
molten state through vast periods up TO its present de-
veopment Again the most familiar Of all facts is that
Of growth--the evolution Of life Each organism, plant
and animal is unfolded from minute, strucureess GERM
through succession Of higher and more complex states
I'D to the condition Of maturity. And only is eyolu-
ton the central and essential fact of individual fe but
perusal of the rocky records of geological time shows that
there has been also mighty progress Of the collective life
of the globe Nor is the world of mind exception to the
law. With bodily development there is mental unfold
ng-an evolution of the psychcal powers in correspond
ence with the order Of nature And also with the social
stae there an evolution of knowledge, Of religion, OF
the arts and sciences of institutions, manners, govern
ments and civilization itself Mr. Spencer may claim the
Just honor of having worked out tho conditions and the
causes of this supendous law Of evolution and Of estab
fishing the universally Of its application.
There has been much absurd criticism of Mr.. Spencers
relation to this fundamental principle Of his system
How naturally it grew up in his mind is shown by
the following passage from pamphlet discaimng In
debtedness to NJ. Comte: "And lot me point out
that which really has exerted profound influence on my
course Of thought. The truth which Harveys embryo
logical inquiries first dimy indicated, which was more
clearly perceived by Wolf and Goethe and which was
put into definite shape by Won Baer the truth that oil or
ganic Development is a change from state of homo
genety to state of heerogeney this it is from which
very many of the conclusions which now hold indirectly
resulted In Social States there is everywhere mani
tested dominant belief in the evolution of man and of
society There is also manifested the belief that this
evolution is in both determined by the incidence OF
condtions-the actions of circumstances. And there is
further recognition of the fact that organic and social
eyoluons conform TO the law. Falling amid beliefs
in cvoutons Of various orders everywhere determined
by natural causes the Formula of Won Baer acted as an
organizing principle The extension Of it to other kinds
of phenomena than those Of individual and social organi
cation is traeeabe through successive stages. Reier
ences here made TO his various wrtings Afterward
there came recognition of the need for further Limitation
of this formula; next the inquiry into those general laws
of force from which this universal transformation nece'
sary results next the deduction of these from the uti
mate of the persistence of force next the perception
that there everywhere process Of Dissolution comph
mentary that of Evolution and finally the determine
ton of the conditions under which evolution and dssou
ton respectively occur. The Gtion Of these results is,
think toleraby manifest The process has been one of
continuous development set up by the addition of Won
Baers law to a number of ideas in harmony with it,"
The larger portion Of First Principles is devoted to the
working out of this great principle and its firm establish
ment the foundation of the subsequent philosophical
superstructure That work like this produced from
entirely point of view, and therefore, in but slight
accordance with previous systems, should DO at
ceped s of course not to be expected enough that
adverse critics accord to it high place among the contr
buttons to original and advancing thought. Dr. McCosh,
for example in his Intuitions Of Mind while contesng
some Of the doctrines and questioning whether the attain
men Of so vast scheme is not beyond the present posi-
bity of science observes Of First Principles that its
bold generalizaons always suggestive and some Of
them nav in the end be established the profoundest
laws Of tho movable universe"
Having unfolded bis general method in First Prnc
ples" (which has been before the public year wo Mr.
Spencer passes on to his main work giving the first in
stament in the Principles Of Biology, VOL OF which is
just published. 1t may not be superfuous TO remark that
Biology the science which treats Of life in Its most COM
prehensve aspects. The opinion prevailing among many
that life is inscutabe mystery, nothing positive or
important be known concerning it is mischeyously
erroneous The laws of life may be understood and it is
the knowledge of these which give rise TO biological
science And not only may understand them but they
are Of transcendent moments in the whole range Of sub
iects accessible TO have such urgent and i'm
inent claims as those which deal with the laws and
ditions of life
When we are informed that in the careful breeding Of
cattle at least 60 per cent and Of horses % per cent como
to maturity even in rugged climate while OF the
race of man no less than IS per cent perish infancy and
youth and Of the least favored classes fun % per cent de
before thoy years old, the subject found to
appalling attractions for all who care ought for the
welfare of humanity Nor does this fearful and wanton
NJ Nfa nv gloomy
of the subject From the muudes that thus swept
into unrpe graves turn TO the living and meet the
ghastly question Of the quality Of life in the multtudes
that remain Tracing this premature mortality to Its
causes we find that they act in varying degrees and pro-
duce wide diversity Of effects. Physical and mental con-
ditions stamp themselves upon the living organism
Bad diet imperfect clothing, foul air impure water, over
exhaustng labor mental Encouragement, evil assoeia
tons vicious habits and host of morbc agencies are
doing their fatal work upon large classes OF society But
while thousands perish the stream Of life itself Is pois
oned so that these destructive agencies GRE seen not only
in untmey death, but in diseased and debtatedstock
which imparts its imperfections to its progeny and
thus curses unborn generations Organic nperections
constitutional weakness, bodily and mental maades, and
even tendencies to crmeare rnnsmssbe from parents
offspring The laws ofhereditary descent which carry down
lkenesses Of form and feature aud bodily pecuarties
from generation TO generation, carry also bodily and
mental debility tants of blood predspositon to scroiua
and insanity morbid appetites feeble Sefconro, and
dominance Of tho lower propenSities.
The human problem is thus deepened. The imperfec-
tons of man and the consequent, evils OF society arc very
far from being accounted for by present external cond
TONS The living organism Is what II Is through the CO.
operation of two great factorshe influences 1t receives
from the universe and the influences nherts from an
cesta organisms The subject is therefore douby con-
trollable the outward conditions mey DO altered, while