650 VIS MEDICATRIX NATURAE 



scientific description of Animate Nature is not inconsistent 

 with a spiritual i.e., religious or philosophical interpreta- 

 tion. 



Although some will not agree, we hold it to be historically 

 true that just as there is a science that knows Nature, so there 

 is a Religion that knows God ; and throughout our studies we 

 have not concealed our conviction that it is unprofitable to 

 pit against one another these two distinct ways of working 

 towards truth. For they are not antithetic but complemen- 

 tary. Perhaps it would be well if the devotees of Science 

 were more aware of its limitations, perhaps it would be well 

 if the religious who have the vision of God knew a little more 

 about His works, but what must be sought after by both is 

 a position from which haply there may be seen the unity 

 of Huxley's science and Wordsworth's vision. The results 

 of Science must, we think, be taken up as " harmonious ele- 

 ments in a system of truth wider than themselves ; a system 

 in whose wider light their ultimate significance for life and 

 for the meaning of life would become manifest " (Blewett, 

 190T, p. 52). 



We venture to hope that our study of Animate Nature 

 may have shown it to be less daemonic and more divine than 

 many, from Aristotle onwards, have supposed; we should 

 regret having spoken at all if our study has led any one 

 to suppose that Animate Nature is not greater than our 

 greatest thought of it. For the facts of the case from first 

 to last are so wonderful that we venture to say that no 

 general impression of Nature reached along scientific or any 

 other lines can be even in the direction of being true that 

 does not sound the note of joyous appreciation and of rever- 

 ent wonder. As Walt Whitman said, " Prais'd be the 



