316 BOTANY. [ch. xvi. 



fore the results of natural selection, even the most trifling 

 details of structure." 



One of the greatest services rendered by my father to 

 the study of Natural History is the revival of Teleology. 

 The evolutionist studies the purpose or meaning of organs 

 with the zeal of the older Teleologist, but with far wider 

 and more coherent purpose. He has the invigorating knowl- 

 edge that he is gaining not isolated conceptions of the 

 economy of the present, but a coherent view of both past 

 and present. And even where he fails to discover the use 

 of any part, he may, by a knowledge of its structure, un- 

 ravel the history of the past vicissitudes in the life of the 

 species. In this way a vigour and unity is given to the 

 study of the forms of organised beings, which before it 

 lacked. Mr. Huxley has well remarked : * " Perhaps the 

 most remarkable service to the philosophy of Biology ren- 

 dered by Mr. Darwin is the reconciliation of Teleology and 

 Morphology, and the explanation of the facts of both, which 

 his views oifer. The teleology which supposes that the eye, 

 such as we see it in man, or one of the higher vertebrata, 

 was made with the precise structure it exhibits, for the pur- 

 pose of enabling the animal which possesses it to see, has 

 undoubtedly received its death-blow. Nevertheless, it is 

 necessary to remember that there is a wider teleology which 

 is not touched by the doctrine of Evolution, but is actually 

 based upon the fundamental proposition of Evolution." 



The point which here especially concerns us is to recog- 

 nise that this " great service to natural science," as Dr. Gray 

 describes it, was effected almost as much by Darwin's special 

 botanical work as by the Origin of Species. 



For a statement of the scope and influence of my father's 

 botanical work, I may refer to Mr. Thiselton Dyer's article 

 in ' Charles Darwin,' one of the Nature Series. Mr. Dyer's 

 wide knowledge, his friendship with my father, and his 

 power of sympathising with the work of others, combine to 

 give this essay a permanent value. The following passage 

 (p. 43) gives a true picture : 



" Notwithstanding the extent and variety of his botanical 

 work, Mr. Darwin always disclaimed any right to be re- 

 garded as a professed botanist. He turned his attention to 

 plants, doubtless because they were convenient objects for 



* The "Genealogy of Animals" (The Academy, 1869), reprinted in Cri- 

 tiques and Addresses. 



