600 DISHARMONIES AND OTHER SHADOWS 



parasites do their wonted hosts very little harm. Many parasites 

 are repulsive in form, colour, and movements the brand of their de- 

 generacy. The drifting life of ease seems inconsistent with Nature's 

 way of putting a premium on strenuous endeavour. But parasi- 

 tism is, to begin with, a response to environing difficulties and limita- 

 tions, the parasite can have little awareness of the significance of 

 its step; its host is in most cases simply a promiseful area of 

 exploitation; the parasitism often fades into symbiosis and com- 

 mensalism; it is often resorted to by the mothers seeking a safe 

 place for the young; it sometimes has a useful eliminative influence. 

 That there is sometimes a hint of devilry in parasitism must be 

 admitted, but there is great risk of fallacious anthropomorphism 

 here. 



Another reproach hurled at Nature is that of cruelty, which may 

 be discussed along with parasitism since it refers to the nutritive 

 chains that bind organisms together. That many animals prey on 

 others is obvious, and this must sometimes involve suffering. Yet 

 little is known of their pain, and, apart from a few difficult cases, 

 there is no torturing. 



Another shadow is that of senescence and death. But senility at 

 least is not a disharmony in the realm of organisms, only in man- 

 kind. Growing old is a necessary tax on differentiation, for as 

 a stable framework grows in complexity processes of rejuvenescence 

 are bound to lag. In some simple creatures natural death is suc- 

 cessfully avoided. " The conditions and processes in the human 

 organism which lead to death in the end are the conditions and 

 processes which make man what he is." 



Oppressive to many is the apparent wastefulness. But the abun- 

 dant multiplication of humble organisms affords a stable founda- 

 tion on which a higher life has been based, and a truly marvellous 

 working equilibrium wrought out. The scheme of Animate Nature 

 is in great part a cycle of incarnations; it may attract or repel 

 us, but it is not wasteful. 



That there are shadows is admitted, but it is significant that they 

 tend to disappear in the light of increasing knowledge. They 

 do not force us to conclude that there is any radical incongruity 

 between a scientific description and a religious interpretation of 

 Nature. 



