V. THE REAL 60 VI. EVOLUTION AS THE REDISTRIBUTION OF MATTER AND MOTION 72 VII. NECESSITY 100 VIII. INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE 138 IX. CONSEQUENCES 152 X. THE CHESS-BOARD 163 XI. THE COMMON FAITH OF MANKIND 184 XII. PROGRESS 203 XIII. EVOLUTION AS PURPOSE 238 XIV. CONCLUSION 273 APPENDIX. ON BISHOP BERKELEY'S IDEALISM 289 INDEX 297 EVOLUTION I. OPTIMISM Innumerable writers at the end of the nineteenth century have reviewed the changes which in the last fifty years have come over the civilised world. The record indeed is admitted on all hands to be marvellous. Steam, electricity, machinery, and all the practical inventions of applied science have added enormously to the material wealth, comfort, and luxury of mankind. Intellectually, the bounds of pure science have been vastly enlarged; and the blessings of education have been extended to the poorest members of the community. Philanthropic and religious activity manifests itself in a thousand different organisations. We are never tired of repeating, that changes which in the first half of the century would have been pronounced impossible and incredible, at the end of the century are accomplished facts.