The times., 1900-12-23
~O-~-~--~~-~~~

He then gees on to prove that these
first beginnings are of solid singleness,
not formed of parts, but strong in ever
lasting singleness." He further proves
that these first beginnings tatoms) can
not be infinitely small, and also that the
universe cannot be limited-that it is in
finite. He thus anticipated the main
ideas as to atoms. and the universe which
have been held by most materialistic
thinkers down to our own times.
Lucretius was an absolute materialist,
for though he did rot deny the existence
OF the gods he refused them any share
in the construction of the universe,
which. he again and again urges, arose
by chance, after infinite time, by the
random motions and collisions and en-
tanglements of the infnity of atoms. He
assumes some forces analogous to grav-
itation and the molecular motions of
gases in the following passage;
For the first beginnings of things
move first of themselves; next these bod
les which form a small aggregate and
come nearest SO to say to the powers Of
in movement by the unseen strokes Of
these first bodies, and they next in turf
stir up other bodies which are a little
larger"
He also anticipated Gslileo as to the
equal speed of all falling bodies when
not checked by the air in the following
precise statement:
For whenever bodies fall through
water and thin air they must quicken
their descents in proportion to their
weights. because the body of water and
subtle nature of air cannot retard every
thing to an equal degree; on the other
hand. empty void cannot offer resistance
TO anything in any direction at any time,
but must continually give way; and for
this reason all things must be moved and
borne along with equal velocity, though
Of unequal weights. through the unre-
sisting void"
This is a wonderfully accurate general
statement of the equal rate of motion Of
all kinds of matter under the same
forces; and when we consider that there
is no indication of any experimental bas-
is for this conclusion, and that moth
ing equivalent to our sciences OF physics
of chemistry existed. we are amazed at
the general correctness of many of his
views derived solely by a process Of rea-
soning from the most Obvious phenomena
of nature. He argues that, given infinite
matter and space and Inherent motion,
things must go on and be completed" b"
and his general conclusion is thus ex-
pressed: "If you will aPprebcnd and keep
in mind these things, nature. free at once
and rid of her naughty lords, is seen to
do all things spontaneously Of herself
without the neddling of tho gods"
1t is when he attempts to deal with the
origin of living organisms that the ab-
sence OF all9knCwledge of chemistry, ply
siology, and histology renders his task
impossible and sads him into what seem
to US the widest absurdities. He has
an elaborate but very unconvincing argI-
ment that sensation can arise out of
atoms which have no sensation; and TAX
ing the appearance Of worms. etc. in the
earth and in putrid natter as a proof
that they are still actually produced de
noyo in it, he argues that at some remote
epoch the now worn-out earth was more
fertile. and produced in like manner all
kinds OF animals. The first human infants
he supposes to have been formed at
some very remote time in the manner
following: For much heat and moisture
would then abound in the fields; and
! therefore wherever suitable spot offered
/ womb5 would grow, attached to the
( earth by roots; and when the warmth CT
| the infants, flying the wet and craving
, the air, had opened these in the fullness
/ OF time. nature would turn to that spot
| the pores Of the earth and constrain 1t to
/ yield from it's opened veins liquid most
like to milk To the children the earth
would furnish focd. the heat raiment. the
grass bed rich in abundance of soft
down. Wherefore, again and
! again say, the earth with good title
/ has gotten and keeps the name Of mother
since size of herself gave birth to man.
/ kind, and at a time nearly fixed shed
/ forth every beast that ranges wildly over
! the great mountains, and at the same
time the fowls Of the air with all theli
varied shapes"
The fact that this mode OF origin com
I mended itself to one Of the brightest in,
telleets OF the first century B. C., en-.
( lightened by the best thought of the Gre,
clan philosophers. may enable US the bet.
ter to appreciate the immense advance
made by modern evolutionists.
( THE FIRST REAL STEPS TOWARD EVOLUTION
We have nov a great blank of nfteel
oenturies-the dark ages Of human pro
gress-after which The era OF observation
and experiuleE. began and for the frs
time men really set themselves TO stud
nature thus laying the foundation for Al
the great theoretical advances CT ou
time. As leading 10 the next great ste
in theories OF evolution, we must not
the lifelong observations by Tyeho Brah
Of the apparent motions of the planets
the grand discovery of Kepler that sl
these apparently erratic motions were du
to their revolution round the sun in clip
tic orbits. with fixed relation betwee
their distance :-om the sun and their per
iods Of revolution: and Newtons epoch
making theory OF universal grayiiatiol
by which al these facts and many other
since discovered were harmonized and ex
planned.
But all this implied no law OF develop
ment, and It was long thought that tn
solar system was fixed and unchangeabl
that some altogether unknown or mir
aculous agency must have set It going
and that 1t had in isself no principle {
change or decay. but might continue az
-. e. 90 oil efa-rsitv II vraa at tIlc ypr