268 Natural Theology. 



verent to suppose that the Creator delights in the 

 physical beauty of His own work. 



But this provision will be better understood and 

 appreciated in considering the next division of ani- 

 mal life the shells. What fancy can conceive of 

 greater beauty, of its kind, than is seen in a cabinet 

 of shells ? The exquisite forms and ornaments, and 

 the profusion of richest colors, are arranged for the 

 most perfect artistic effect. Each shell among the 

 thousands has beauties that no human fancy would 

 ever have suggested, had not nature first furnished 

 the pattern. The pearly nautilus and the brilliant 

 cowrie, in almost endless variation, are there -the 

 mother-of-pearl and the silvery pearl itself. Not 

 one of these beauties is for the animal itself. The 

 brilliant colors invite its enemies and thus favor its 

 destruction. Can we see in them any other design 

 than a provision for the delight of intelligent 

 beings ? Is it possible that we can fail to see in 

 them design at all ? 



Among the insects we have equal exhibitions of 

 the same rich artistic skill. Their structure* and 

 instincts were necessary for their existence, and 

 therefore it might be argued that we find the perfect 

 combination, because those species alone have sur- 

 vived for which ample provision was made. But 

 no such reason can be given for the admirable 

 balancing of colors, and the elaborate patterns em- 

 broidered on the wings of the species that flit from 

 flower to flower on a summer's day. The wing 

 itself is often a marvel of beauty in its outline, and 



