178 HERBERT SPENCER

equilibrium with the forces of the modified aggregate,
then, when separated in [the shape of reproductive
centres, these units will tend to build themselves
up into an aggregate modified in the same
direction.

The drawback to abstract biology based on first
principles is that it enables its devotee to develop
arguments which seem plausible until they are reduced
to the concrete. Why had Herbert Spencer small
hands? Because his grandfather and father were
schoolmasters who did little from day to day but wield
the pen and sharpen the pencil! Through disuse of
the sword and the spade their hands were directly
equilibrated towards smaliness. But since Mr Spencer
senior, was " a combination of rhythmically-acting
parts in moving equilibrium," the dwindling of the
hands and the moulding of the physiological units
thereof reverberated through the whole aggregate;
a change towards a new state of equilibrium " was
propagated throughout the parental system—a change
tending to bring the actions of all organs, reproductive
included, into harmony with these new actions," or
inactions. The modified aggregate impressed some
corresponding modification on the structures and
polarities of the germ-units. And this was why
Herbert Spencer had small hands. At least so he tells
us, for the instance is his own.

Practical Conclusion.—It is obvious that we have not
in these pages attempted to give an adequate discus-
sion of an extremely difficult problem. We have en-
deavoured to give a fair statement of Spencer's position
in regard to a question which appeared to him of
44 transcendent importance." " A right answer to their polar forces towards