, 1874-12-06
THE DOCTRINE OF EVOLUTION.

needs OF tho occasion.
THE DOCTRINE OF EVOLUTION.
OUTLINES OF COsMIC PHILOSOPHY. BASED ON
THE DOCTRINE OF EVOLUTION: WITH CR1rr-
c1s4s on THE Pos1r1vE PHILOSOPHY. By JOHN
F1snk, II. L., IL. B., Assistant Librarian 1t Har-
ward University. Boston 1Amsa r. Osgood Co.
1875. Two Volumes.
In seeking to convey to the general reader any
satisfactory account OF these volumes. tha rs-
viewer, in the limits OF = newspaper article,
labors under disadvantage which is manifest 10
an ondeavor to state with brevity and c1ea1nees
the scope aud bearings Of tho subject with which
they deaf. To thus sot forth tho principles and
data Of Philosophy Of which two closely-print-
cd volumes profess to contain but an outline,
would, it it wore possible be 30 bald and frag-
mentary sketch that 1t WOULD render but small
justice to an author, and remain probably dis
paragcment to tho orig1nators and defenders OF 8
doctrine 80 grand in it's proportions, aud SO far
reaching ln its applications, ~ that which, cou,-
pretended under the title Of Evolution, IL now
Standing on trial before the scientific world
It would be difficult for wllter to appear who
would be enabled to claim tho merit Of any very
great originality while the man who, years ago.
marked out the course, aketched far ahead the
outlines, aud defined the boundaries to which
Evolution should conform, still lives. and devel-
ops with mastsr hand the details OF his Philos-
ophy. Mr.. Spencer, slowly and carefully enun-
ciating his doctrines, and binding them by the
applications which Science in the past. and. in
deed, almost daily, by tho discovery of new
facts. places at bis disposal, has reached rather
more than half Of tho distance to that goal for
which he set out alone, unsustained, and OK
posed to tho hostility Of adverse critics. 4 host
Of writer's have meanwhile arisen, who-pro-
jectlng into the future, III advance OF Mr. Spen-
Ger, ths implications they deemed to follow upon
tile establishment OF his First Principles-haye
condemned or exalted the Evolution Philosophy,
as they were its opl onents or defenders. f1r.
Fiske, indeed claims but little, in lis pages, Of
origiual matter. He would have us understand
that his book is illustrative and explanatory Of
Mr.. 6pencers Philosophy; aud that, scattered
through the volumes, ia much matter co-robora-
tive OF and sustaining Mr. SpenceI'a position
and, in the higher divisions. working out moro
in detail. ami in advance OF Mr.. Speucer's owa
volumes. tue application OF the principles Of
Evolution to tus sciences OF Sociology AMI 10
raIty.
1t ls hardly within the province Of newsra-
per to explain the details Of system OF Philos-
ophy. OF to espouse lts cause. The Philosophy
Of Evolution is now attracting share Of atteu-
ton auoug thinking po1soaH which places it
above the petty criticisms OF fanatics or b:ots.
4 vast uumber-indeed, it Ii claimed the ma
jority-of scientific men admit ita many
o1cellencea 10 explaining the various OBJ
scate phenomena OF inorganic snd oreauia
nature. In tho Sciences OF Life, Mind.
aud Society, no iesA than in Physics,
it has beon powerful aid in tbs solution OF
questions which for centuries have beon 3
stumbliuS-block to the foremost thinkers Of
avery generation. In Law, in History, in the
comparisons Of Language, Literature. and
Religion. its inlaance has been felt; and
it has revolutionized the conceptions OF men
as to the origin Of tleir civilization aud Of their
ldeas Of Life. Society, and Morality.
Leaving aside for the moment the considers
ton Of TINT first question over which so much
n1gument-and iuk-aas been Wasted. the ua-
ture Of the First Gauss OF all things (remarking
that It is not toe cause Of changes Of creation
with which Evolution ID coucerned but the man
ner Of their opera.ion), let us briefly indicate
tue starting-po Ut the Philosophy:
We have, rs the Foundation OF al phenomena,
two factorB: IN enduring aud ine1tinguishable
matter. and persistent and impet etishatle force.
Thsse two, however they wers originated, and
however they are sustained. form toe basis upon
which I'll visible effects are ou4lt. E1uloitea
under LII aspects; pcfmeaan2 the entiro cos-
mos equa1i! At noms ID lnofeao'o aoo Organic
forms; IN tho piece OF coal ne NINE; IN tne
chemical substances We oul4a up III toe laooia-
tory; N tue plant ana tree WHICH ero"' IN Inc
aulmal which moves and mas aeutlent n1o; In
the infant winch arrives II laot ~ maa . est@.s'
ano III au tno .o11noss VI nnao "no ln'e4'oc. 10
olsp1aS8; ID tne Agslesat'on " meu i1.o
soe4et'es; anu OF An oepaf'"en'0 o. k"o"',
coee over "ncn 1ne' Lave @'1a''eo
common; IN 'ne ehs'n' "n'ea m1'es
tnen oouee' aua LILO @pu "n4'1
Il transfers 'ne" 'uehh' ~ 'u' i*"s "ueu so'e!n
toe1n III LIS easnee.c 'se1lns7 'ue5 eA1.o'S' -
sne etnot'ons 'ue' o'spiaS' Ana no sene1ueul0
'nes cnei'en' 'no'e 10 'n' s.no ~, st1.l4eA. ~
So1'e0nueo "o0 Ae"es'oa ~ '"'' ".o'A 'o4~'