From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



resembling an obscure aspiration towards higher forms, 

 it nevertheless still shows gropings and errors. 



In the history of the reptiles of the Secondary epoch 

 how can we fail to see a groping after the higher evolu- 

 tionary series of mammals ? Is the whole of evolution 

 anything but a series of such gropings ? 



These gropings and errors are found in details as 

 well as in the mass; useless organic characters which 

 do not fit into any plan are in no way exceptional. 



Delage and Goldsmith cite many instances. 



* The diverse colouration of the wings of insects, 

 of the shells of molluscs, characteristics which, to 

 follow the expression of Eimer, are no more useful 

 to them than the brilliant colour of gold to that 

 metal, or its iridescent tints to the soap bubble. The 

 exaggerated dimensions of the antlers of the fossil 

 Irisk elk; the curved and practically unusable tusks 

 of the mammoth; the extraordinarily developed 

 fangs of the modern babiroussa; the eyes of certain 

 crustaceans placed at the end of over-long pedicles ? 

 etc. ... It would seem as if the development once 

 begun is carried on by a kind of inertia.' 



There are even organs which are not only useless, 

 but even injurious, such as the appendix in man. 



Instincts also sometimes go astray; deceived by their 

 instincts some game-birds, such as woodcock, always 

 return to the same places, where they meet their death; 

 migratory fish are unable to avoid certain dangerous 

 zones where they perish by thousands; etc. 



3. -OBJECTIONS BASED ON EVIL IN THE UNIVERSE 



If the existence of errors and gropings is hardly 

 compatible with a Divine plan, there is another considera- 

 tion even less so. It is the prevalence of evil in the 

 universe. 



147 



