THE HIGHER SIGNIFICANCE. G9 



as an intellectual and moral being. We never could sec how the 

 plan of structure, the whole science of homologies in the animal 

 and vegetable kingdoms, could be fully comprehended by any one 

 without the recognition of a direct provision for man as an 

 intellectual being. Animals and plants arc constructed with 

 parts apparently for no other purpose than to show their true 

 place in the organic kingdom. We believe that they were thus 

 linked together by homologous parts that they might be compre- 

 hended by man, that he might more surely trace the plan of the 

 Great Architect. We believe this, also, without reference to 

 the question whether these parts came to be as they are through 

 secondary causes or by direct creation. 



In the provision made for the increase of beauty in the flower 

 by doubling, there is certainly no reference to the welfare of the 

 plant, for beauty increases at the expense of the seed, the final 

 cause, or one use of the flower, as all will allow. When we see 

 this tendency to variation in such a multitude of flowers ; when 

 we see it confined to those plants having methods of propagation 

 other than the seed ; when we see this tendency conferring no 

 possible benefit upon the individual plant nor upon the species ; 

 when we see what a source of enjoyment this law is to a man in 

 his highest cultivation — we might say, how necessary for that 

 highest cultivation — can we doubt for what purpose this law of 

 variation was given ? Who can fail to feel that the plant is not 

 for itself? but so far as it seems to be for itself it -is simply that 

 it may exist ; but it exists for a higher kingdom ; and that the 

 final cause of plant variation is found mainly in the wants of 

 man, not only as a physical, but also as an intellectual being. 



There is another significance of varieties besides their adapta- 

 tion to these wants of man, although to some it may seem a 

 mere accident. We refer to the conditions thus presented to 

 man for continual progress. In consequence of this wonderful law 

 of varieties there is opened the possibility of continued improve- 

 ment ; to reach the limit of this improvement is impossible. 

 Were it true that each species produced from age to age the same 

 identical form, without the possibility of variation and improve- 

 ment, whenever each species was secured, all would be done 

 that could be done in that direction. We have but one species 

 of apple. From this have been produced hundreds of distinct 

 kinds. There might, indeed, have been as many distinct species 



