TRANSMUTABLE. 147 



not how, now by one means, now by another 

 here by chance, there by brute force? a law, 

 which is not even constant in its operation, formed 

 upon a doctrine without a shadow of probability 

 in its favour, unsupported by proof, and not even 

 recommending itself to the rnind by the plausi- 

 bility it might, if true, have derived from com- 

 parative anatomy, the known laws of physiology, 

 or the records of geology. 



Mr. Darwin says, "If it could be demonstrated 

 that any complex organ existed, which could not 

 possibly have been formed by numerous successive 

 slight modifications, my theory would absolutely 

 break down." 



This is an unfair way of putting the question, 

 because to the Creator nothing is impossible. You 

 may take the speck on the eye of the Poly gastric 

 animalcule, and add to and modify it as you will, 

 but no human mind could convert it, even in 

 imagination, into the human or eagle's eye the 

 hand of Him who first formed could alone fashion 

 it again. 



Take the eye of an insect, which is, according 

 to the size of the creature, larger and more com- 

 plicated than that of any other animal. Look 

 at the dragon-fly, with its twenty-four thousand 

 eyes, all beautifully arranged in the two convex 

 masses every one is familiar with. Is not this 

 a distinct and perfect organization, permitting 

 the insect to fly backwards and forwards at will, 

 and to seize upon its prey like a hawk? How 

 by any stretch of imagination could this be con- 



