﻿74 
  THE 
  REALM 
  OF 
  ORGANISMS 
  CONTRASTED 
  

  

  that 
  the 
  domain 
  of 
  the 
  inorganic 
  is 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  for 
  a 
  purpose. 
  At 
  

   present 
  we 
  leave 
  this 
  as 
  a 
  pious 
  anticipation. 
  

  

  SUMMARY. 
  

  

  The 
  world 
  without 
  is 
  conveniently 
  divided 
  into 
  the 
  realm 
  of 
  

   organisms 
  and 
  the 
  domain 
  of 
  the 
  inorganic, 
  which 
  stand 
  in 
  close 
  

   inter-relation 
  and 
  sharp 
  contrast. 
  In 
  the 
  domain 
  of 
  the 
  inorganic 
  

   from 
  solar 
  system 
  to 
  snow 
  crystal, 
  from 
  the 
  hills 
  and 
  the 
  sea 
  to 
  

   dust 
  and 
  dew-drops 
  we 
  are 
  impressed 
  by 
  (a) 
  the 
  rich 
  concrete 
  

   fulness 
  of 
  different 
  kinds 
  of 
  things 
  and 
  events, 
  which, 
  nevertheless, 
  

   can 
  be 
  summed 
  up, 
  for 
  most 
  purposes, 
  in 
  terms 
  of 
  a 
  few 
  funda- 
  

   mental 
  concepts, 
  such 
  as 
  matter 
  and 
  motion; 
  (b) 
  the 
  orderly 
  uni- 
  

   formity 
  that 
  pervades 
  it; 
  and 
  (c) 
  the 
  restless 
  and 
  subtle 
  activity 
  

   that 
  appears 
  to 
  obtain 
  throughout. 
  

  

  A 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  realm 
  of 
  organisms 
  discloses 
  a 
  multitude 
  of 
  in- 
  

   dividualities 
  and 
  yet 
  an 
  orderly 
  systema 
  nature. 
  There 
  is 
  an 
  em- 
  

   barrassment 
  of 
  different 
  kinds 
  25,000 
  named 
  Vertebrates, 
  ten 
  times 
  

   as 
  many 
  named 
  backboneless 
  animals, 
  and 
  about 
  as 
  many 
  plants, 
  

   yet 
  a 
  rational 
  classification 
  is 
  possible. 
  

  

  A 
  second 
  impression 
  is 
  of 
  the 
  abundance 
  and 
  insurgence 
  of 
  life. 
  

   Most 
  of 
  its 
  streams 
  tend 
  to 
  overflow 
  their 
  banks. 
  Many 
  species 
  

   are 
  represented 
  by 
  numberless 
  individuals. 
  There 
  is 
  also 
  the 
  quality 
  

   of 
  insurgence, 
  for 
  we 
  see 
  life 
  intrusive 
  everywhere, 
  pressing 
  up 
  

   against 
  limitations, 
  circumventing 
  or 
  overcoming 
  difficulties 
  like 
  

   a 
  strong 
  will. 
  

  

  Another 
  impression 
  is 
  of 
  ceaseless 
  struggle 
  and 
  endeavour 
  on 
  the 
  

   one 
  hand, 
  ceaseless 
  selection 
  or 
  sifting 
  on 
  the 
  other. 
  Living 
  crea- 
  

   tures 
  react 
  in 
  manifold 
  ways 
  to 
  environing 
  limitations 
  and 
  difficul- 
  

   ties, 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  clash 
  that 
  ensues 
  there 
  is 
  often 
  discriminate 
  elimina- 
  

   tion. 
  

  

  The 
  inter-relatedness 
  of 
  organisms 
  is 
  another 
  fundamental 
  fact. 
  

   Animate 
  nature 
  is 
  a 
  vast 
  system 
  of 
  interlinked 
  lives, 
  a 
  web 
  with 
  

   a 
  pattern. 
  As 
  in 
  mankind, 
  there 
  is 
  progress 
  towards 
  systematisa- 
  

   tion 
  and 
  solidarity, 
  and 
  the 
  correlation 
  of 
  organisms 
  which 
  is 
  a 
  

   product 
  of 
  evolution 
  becomes 
  in 
  turn 
  a 
  directive 
  factor. 
  

  

  Another 
  fundamental 
  impression 
  is 
  that 
  of 
  fitnesses. 
  Every 
  

   higher 
  organism 
  is 
  a 
  complex 
  bundle 
  of 
  adaptations. 
  It 
  is 
  suited 
  

   to 
  its 
  inanimate 
  surroundings, 
  to 
  its 
  food, 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  to 
  other 
  crea- 
  

   tures, 
  to 
  its 
  own 
  weight, 
  to 
  its 
  movements; 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  to 
  a 
  mate 
  

  

  