1. _External Physical Evil in the Animal Kingdom._--As already seen in previous chapters, the necessary condition of evolution of the organic kingdom is a _struggle_ for life--a conflict on every side, with a seemingly _inimical_ environment and a survival of only the strongest, the swiftest, or the most cunning--in a word, the fittest. Now, suppose the course of organic evolution finished in the introduction of man, and from this vantage-ground we look back over the course and consider its result. Shall we call that evil which was the necessary condition of the progressive elevation which culminated so gloriously? Evil doubtless it seemed to the individual, struggling animal, but is this worthy to be weighed in comparison with the evolution of the whole organic kingdom until it culminated in man? Is it not rather a _good_ in disguise? I suppose human arrogance may be willing enough to admit it in _this_ case, where animals only are sufferers. 2. _Physical Evil in Relation to Man._--But organic evolution, completed in man, was immediately transferred to a higher plane, and continued as social evolution; material evolution is transformed into psychical evolution; unconscious evolution, according to _necessary_ law, to conscious voluntary progress toward a recognized goal, and according to a _freer_ law. But in this transformation the fundamental conditions of evolution do not change. Man also is surrounded on every side with what at first seems to him an _evil environment_, against which he must ever struggle or perish. Heat and cold, tempest and flood, volcanoes and earthquakes, savage beasts and still more savage men. What is the remedy--the only conceivable remedy? Knowledge of the laws of Nature, and thereby acquisition of power over Nature. But increasing knowledge and power are equivalent to progressive elevation in the scale of psychical being. This conflict with what seems an evil environment is, therefore, the necessary condition of such elevation. It is not too much to say that, without this condition, except for this necessity for struggle, man could never have emerged out of animality into humanity, or, having thus emerged, would never have risen above the lowest possible stage. Now suppose, again, this ideal to have been attained--suppose knowledge of physical laws and power over physical forces to be complete--suppose physical nature completely subdued, put beneath our feet, and subject to our will, and, from the high intellectual position thus attained, we look back over the whole ground and consider the result. Shall that be called evil which was obviously the necessary condition for attaining our then elevated position? Evil it doubtless seemed to the individuals who fell, and still seems to us who now suffer, by the way in the conflict; but is physical discomfort or even physical death of the individual to be weighed in comparison with the psychical elevation of the individual, and especially of the