40 EVOLUTION, OLD AND NEW. 



in organism, and observe concerning it, than by what 

 we may have imagined a priori. 



Given a small speck of jelly with some kind of cir- 

 cumstance-suiting power, some power of slightly vary- 

 ing its actions in accordance with slightly varying cir- 

 cumstances and desires given such a jelly-speck with 

 a power of assimilating other matter, and thus, of re- 

 producing itself, given also that it should be possessed 

 of a memory, and we can show how the whole animal 

 world can have descended it may be from an amoeba 

 without interference from without, and how every organ 

 in every creature is designed at first roughly and tenta- 

 tively but finally fashioned with the most consummate 

 perfection, by the creature which has had need of that 

 organ, which best knew what it wanted, and was never 

 satisfied till it had got that which was the best suited 

 to its varying circumstances in their entirety. We can 

 even show how, if it becomes worth the Ethiopian's 

 while to try and change his skin, or the leopard's to 

 change his spots, they can assuredly change them 

 within a not unreasonable time and adapt their cover- 

 ing to their own will and convenience, and to that of 

 none other; thus what is commonly conceived of as 

 direct creation by God is moved back to a time and 

 space inconceivable in their remoteness, while the aim 

 and design so obvious in nature are shown to be still at 

 work around us, growing ever busier and busier, and 

 advancing from day to day both in knowledge and 

 power. 



It was reserved for Mr. Darwin and for those who 

 have too rashly followed him to deny purpose as having 



