IV 



THE HIT-AND-MISS METHOD OP 

 NATURE 



THE method of Nature seems to be an all-round- 

 the-horizon one, without specific direction or 

 discrimination. Or we may say that, whereas man's 

 activity is in right lines toward definite predeter- 

 mined ends, Nature's activity is in circles; her im- 

 petus goes out in all directions, so that she is sure, 

 sooner or later, to reach her goal, because she cov- 

 ers all the ground. This method involves delay, 

 waste, failures, or what would be such to our- 

 selves, but they are a matter of indifference to 

 the Infinite. 



Man plans and builds and plants by method, or- 

 der, system; he has eyes to see and hands to guide, 

 and wit to devise : Nature builds and plants blindly, 

 haphazardly, all around the circle; her hand- 

 maidens are industrious but undirected. 



The seeds of many plants are deftly concealed in 

 tempting fruit which some creature will eat, and 

 thus the hard-coated seeds will get disseminated. 

 How many apple-trees and red thorn trees the cow 

 plants ! The seeds which her teeth do not crush es- 

 cape from her body and are planted. It is a chance 

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