198 ESSAY ON CLASSIFICATION. 



argument with mere questions, in order not to extend 

 unduly a discussion which is, after all, only accessory to 

 the plan of my work. I have felt justified in doing so 

 because, from the point of view under which my subject 

 is treated, those questions find a natural solution, which 

 must present itself to every reader. We know what the 

 intellect of Man may originate, we know its creative 

 power, its power of combination, of foresight, of analysis, 

 of concentration ; we are, therefore, prepared to recog- 

 nize a similar action emanating from a Supreme Intelli- 

 gence to a boundless extent. We need, therefore, not even 

 attempt to show that such an Intellect may have origi- 

 nated all that which the Universe contains. It is enough 

 to demonstrate, that the constitution of the physical 

 world, and more particularly the organization of living 

 beings in their connection with the physical world, prove 

 in a general way, the existence of a Supreme Being, as the 

 Author of all things. The task of science is rather to 

 investigate what has been done, to inquire, if possible, 

 how it has been done, than to ask what is possible for the 

 Deity, as we can know that only by what actually exists. 

 To attack such a position, those who would deny the 

 intervention in nature of a creative mind must show, that 

 the cause to which they refer the origin of finite beings is 

 by its nature a possible cause, which cannot be denied of 

 a being endowed with the attributes we recognize in 

 God. Our task is therefore completed, as soon as we have 

 proved His existence. It would, nevertheless, be highly 

 desirable that every naturalist who has arrived at similar 

 conclusions should go over the subject anew, from his 

 point of view and with particular reference to the special 

 field of his investigations ; for thus only can the whole 

 evidence be brought out. 



