t
is undoubtedly an indispensable factor in development; still, it only
acts as the field or soil, and soil without seed remains barren.

The mind is also a powerful lever in evolution, but it affects only
one side of the matter. Association or co-operation facilitates only
the growth of certain faculties whilst checking the development of
others. Justice calls forth only certain individual and social forces,
and leaves many of them in a state of stagnation.

In a word, H. George forgets that there is no useless force in the
whole of Nature; that they all collaborate in the general task, and
finally that there would be no progress, were it not for the existence
of opposing forces. If, _e.g._, egoism were non-existent, those still
incapable of working without the hope of personal gain would lack a
powerful incentive to action. True is the saying that evil is the
stepping-stone to good.

Were the Law of Rebirths known, it would prove to be an explanation of
the problems of evolution.]

[Footnote 48: A few theologians have feebly affirmed the possibility
of human life on other planets than the Earth, but their voices have
either been stifled or have met with no echo.

At the Congress of Fribourg, in Switzerland, August, 1897, evolution
was adopted by an assembly of 700 eminent Catholics--laymen and
clergy. Dr. Zahn said that _although creation is possible a priori, it
is a posteriori so very improbable that it ought to be rejected; that
those who believe in this creation rely upon the literal
interpretation of Genesis, whilst the contemporary students of the
Bible affirm that the book is allegorical, that God, in the beginning
created the elements and gave them power to evolve in all the forms
that characterise the organic and inorganic worlds_. One voice alone
was raised in protest, but it was drowned beneath the refutations of
the rest. The question, however, might be asked: How is the transition
made from one kingdom to another? What is the missing link? Who is to
interpret the Bible if it is an allegorical book? Is it the Church
which has always imposed _the letter_ of the Bible and condemned all
who have attempted to set forth _its spirit_?]

[Footnote 49: In hypnosis, indeed, the thought suggested is strong
enough to modify organic life and bring about hematic extravasion
(stigmata), burnings, vomiting, etc.... In certain ecstatic cases,
fixity of thought produces analogous effects. No one who has studied
the