CONCLUDING CONSIDERATIONS. 331 



variation. Mr. Darwin comments, " It must necessarily 

 depend on the dew for its moisture ; " but then we are 

 told that " in arid deserts, dew is not often seen," or 

 even that " barren rocks and sandy deserts do not receive 

 this congenial moisture ! " 



If we turn here to the writings of the grandfather, 

 especially in the notes to the Botanic Garden, we shall 

 find more examples of inexplicable form and structure 

 than we can well allow space for. It is principally in 

 illustration of design that Dr. Erasmus is prompted to 

 call attention to such ; and it is perhaps only even- 

 handed justice, so far, on our part, to welcome opportunity 

 of reference to the grandfather when it is on his side 

 that the advantage of the comparison lies. Whatever 

 countenance Dr. Erasmus Darwin may seem to lend to 

 the merely physical element, he certainly conceives that 

 element as always in submission to ideas. " Animation " 

 is a distinct separate principle to him, not possibly to 

 be accounted for by any mechanism or chemistry in the 

 whole encyclopaedical muniment. 



A remarkable instance of design we have seen him 

 name already (p. 51), as exemplified "in the black 

 diverging area from the eyes of the swan." The begin- 

 ning at all, or the first small beginnings, and then the 

 gradually, bit by bit, expanding advantage of this area, 

 might prove a difficulty to natural selection but for the 

 liberty of speech. It can always be said that, in the 

 infinitude of time, any the smallest advantage could only 

 grow, consequently by gradation grow to any assignable 

 climax you please. It is a greater relative master than 

 Cicero, who has a right to claim for himself the inde- 

 feasible privilege of "a mere matter of words." 



Of plants that exemplify design, Dr. Erasmus has to 

 mention the names of quite a surprising number, ac- 

 companied always by the most entertaining information. 



