Preservation of the Fittest, 169 



But in those species, where the young is thrown 

 upon the world without a parent's care, its Instinct 

 is sufficient to guide it, the instant it is hatched. 

 And the Instinct develops as a guide to the ani- 

 mal, just as his organs become fitted for action. 

 The Instinct, in every case, changes as the condi- 

 tions of life change by development ; whether the 

 changes are gradual or sudden, — so that the most 

 complex and wonderful manifestations of these orig- 

 inal principles of action, are found among the 

 lower tribes of the animal kingdom. Multitudes 

 of insects commence life in the earth and in the 

 water. Some of them spend years, mining in the 

 ground, or hiding among the rocks and mud of 

 brooks and lakes. They have organs and instincts 

 that fit them for such life. But the day comes, 

 when they suddenly pass to a higher life of the air. 

 There is oftentimes as complete change of instincts, 

 as of organs, — but both are just fitted for the new 

 life of their possessor ; each supplementing the other. 

 The machine and guiding power are ready at the 

 same time. 



When, now, appeal is made to the ^'preservation 

 of the fittest^'' amidst infinite variation of forms, as 

 accounting for the present perfection of relation 

 among all these beings, to each other, and to the 

 world, in which they live, we reply, as in a former 

 lecture, that we are in want of some fitness to 

 begin with ; before there can be variation, and the 

 " fittest " be preserved. Preservation is one thing, — 

 the production of something to be preserved, is an- 

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