THE TELEOLOGICAL VIEW. 1 9 



Agassiz. His celebrated work, " An Essay on Classifica- 

 tion," ^ which is entirely opposed to Darwin's, and appeared 

 almost at the same time, has elaborated quite consistently, 

 and to the utmost extent, these anthropomorphic conceptions 

 of the Creator. 



I maintain with regard to the much-talked-of "purpose 

 in nature," that it really has no existence but for those 

 persons who observe phenomena in animals and plants in 

 the most superficial manner. Without going more deeply 

 into the matter, we can see at once that the rudimentary 

 organs are a formidable obstacle to this theory. And, indeed, 

 every one who makes a really close study of the organization 

 and mode of life of the various animals and plants, and 

 becomes familiar with the reciprocity or inter-action of the 

 phenomena of life, and the so-called " economy of nature," 

 must necessarily come to the conclusion that this 

 *' purposiveness " no more exists than the much-talked-of 

 " beneficence " of the Creator. These optimistic views have, 

 unfortunately, as little real foundation as the favourite 

 phrase, the " moral order of the universe," which is illustrated 

 in an ironical way by the history of all nations. The 

 dominion of the " moral " popes, and their pious inquisition, 

 in the mediaeval times, is not less significant of this than 

 the present prevailing militarism, with its " moral " 

 apparatus of needle-guns and other refined instruments of 

 murder. 



If we contemplate the common life and the mutual rela- 

 tions between plants and animals (man included), we shall 

 find everywhere, and at all times, the very opposite of that 

 kindly and peaceful social life which the goodness of the 

 Creator ought to have prepared for his creatures — we shall 



