to you that
the science of biology throws entirely new light on sociological
questions? The laws operating are precisely the same in one region as
in the other. A cell in itself is blind motion; an aggregate of cells
is a living creature. A man by himself is only an animal with superior
possibilities; men associated produce reason, civilisation, the body
politic. Could reason ever have come to birth in a man alone?"

Lord Dymchurch nodded and mused. From his look it was plain that
Lashmar interested, and at the same time, puzzled him. In their
previous conversations, Dyce had talked more or less vaguely, throwing
out a suggestion here, a criticism there, and, though with the air of
one who had made up his mind on most subjects, preserving an attitude
of liberal scepticism; to-day he seemed in the mood for precision, and
the coherence of his arguments did not fail to impress the listener.
His manner in reasoning had a directness, an eagerness, which seemed to
declare fervid conviction; as he went on from point to point, his eyes
gleamed and his chin quivered; the unremarkable physiognomy was
transformed as though from within; illumined by unexpected radiance,
and invested with the beauty of intellectual ardour. Very apt for the
contagion of such enthusiasm, Lord Dymchurch showed in his smile that
he was listening with pleasure; yet he did not wholly yield himself to
the speaker's influence.

"One objection occurs to me," he remarked, averting his eyes for a
moment. "The organic body is a thing finished and perfect. Granted that
evolution goes on in the same way to form the body politic, the
process, evidently, is far from complete--as you began by admitting.
Won't the result depend on the nature and tendency of each being that
goes to make up the whole? And, if that be so, isn't it the business of
the individual to assert his individuality, so as to make the State
that he's going to belong to the kind of State he would wish it to be?
I express myself very awkwardly--"

"Not at all, not at all! In that sense, individualism is no doubt part
of the evolutionary scheme; I quite agree with you. What I object to is
the idea, conveyed in Spencer's title, that the man as a man can have
interests or rights opposed to those of the State as a State. Your
thorough individualist seems to me to lose sight of the fact that, but
for the existing degree of human association, he simply wouldn't be
here at all. He speaks as if he had ma