172 LIFE OF FLOWER 



Although he does not say so in so many words, there 

 is little doubt (reading between the lines) that Flower 

 regarded the evolution of animated Nature as part of 

 a preordained divine plan, and that he had little, if any, 

 faith in such theories as " survival of the fittest," as the 

 true explanation of Nature's riddle. 



This address, like most of the other addresses and 

 papers discussed in this chapter, is reprinted in Essays 

 on Museums. 



We pass now to the concluding portion of our 

 subject, namely Flower's influence and example in 

 modifying and advancing previous conceptions as to 

 the functions and objects of museums, and the mode and 

 manner in which their contents should be arranged and 

 distributed : on the one hand for the purpose of instruct- 

 ing and interesting the public, and on the other for 

 advancing the study of biological science. In many 

 respects this was perhaps the most important item 

 in Flower's life-work ; and he may be said to have 

 created the art of museum development and display. 



In regard to the value and importance of his labours 

 in this respect, no better testimony can be adduced than 

 that given by such a distinguished adept in this kind of 

 work as Professor E. Ray Lankester, the present 

 Director of the Natural History Departments of the 

 British Museum. 



" The arrangement and exhibition of specimens 

 designed and carried out by Flower in both instances," 

 writes Professor Lankester, after alluding to his pre- 

 decessor's labours first at the Royal College of Sur- 

 geons, and afterwards at the British Museum, " was 

 so definite an improvement on previous methods, that 



