These are consequences which necessarily follow from every theory of stellar evolution which has hitherto been advanced. The impact theory, however, completely removes the difficulty, for according to it the evolutionary process can, on purely scientific grounds, be traced back to an absolute beginning in time. If huge solid masses moving through space were the original condition of the universe, then, in so far as either philosophy or science can demonstrate to the contrary, it might have been in this condition from all eternity. We are therefore not called upon to account for this primitive condition of things. Now it is evident, unless a collision should take place, the universe would remain in this condition for ever: without a collision there could be no change, no work performed, and absolutely no loss or gain of energy, and therefore no process of evolution. The first collision would be the absolute commencement of evolution—the beginning of the process of the development of the universe. Evolution would, in this case, have its absolute beginning in time, and consequently was not eternal. If, on the other hand, we assume, what is far more in harmony with physics, metaphysics, and common sense, that the universe was created in time, we are still led to the same result as to an absolute commencement of evolution. In both cases we reach a point beyond which there can be no legitimate inquiry; no further question which the scientists can reasonably ask. We have no grounds to conclude that there is anything eternal, except God, Time, and Space. But if time and space be subjective, as Kant supposes, and not modes pertaining to the existence of things in themselves, then God alone was uncreated, and _of_ Him and _to_ Him are all things. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ INDEX. Aqui Range, Utah, fault in, 57 Arcturus, motion of, 16 Atmosphere, universal, 82 „ Dr. Hunt on, 86 „ Mr. Mattieu Williams on, 86 Atomic weights, logarithmic law of, 100 Atoms, according to Herschel and Clerk-Maxwell, manufactured articles, 92 Binary systems, 32 „ Dr. Johnstone Stoney on, 33 „ Sir W. Thomson on, 33 Biology, testimony of, as to age of sun’s heat, 65 Brodie, Sir B., on the pre-nebular condition of matter, 84 Brown and Dickson on sediment of the Mississippi, 40 Carnelley, Dr., argument from compound radicals, 94 μ Cassiopeiæ, motion of, 16 α Centauri, distance of, 16 Chemical elements, evolution of, 80 Clarke, Prof. F. W., on atomic weights, 93 „ on evolution of the chemical elements, 80, 89 „ on the pre-nebular condition of matter, 98 Comets, according to Laplace, strangers to our system, 17 „ according to Prof. A. Winchell, strangers to our system, 17 „ M. Faye on origin of, 17