MR. DARWIN ON THE EYE. 



353 



most complicated movements are performed perfectly the 

 very first time they are performed at all. As a greater 

 number of anatomical elements become developed, the 

 action as a whole may seem to us more perfect, but if we 

 attribute this to experience, I think we shall be wrong. 

 The actual tissue engaged in work, acts perfectly from the 

 moment its development is complete, and continues to do 

 so until it begins to deteriorate in structure. 



But if the action of tissue is to be referred to experience, 

 the action of the bioplasm, out of which the tissue is formed, 

 should also be referred to experience ; but this would be 

 unreasonable, seeing that bioplasm acts perfectly from the 

 moment when it first begins to live. It never repeats the 

 same movement twice, and regarding its several different 

 movements, it cannot be said that some are more or less 

 perfect than others. Vital movements cannot be qualified as 

 exhibiting gradations of perfection or imperfection. They 

 may be quick or slow, slight or excessive in degree, but 

 it cannot be said that some are better or more perfect 

 than others. There is no standard with which to compare 

 them. 



Mr. Darwin's remarks about the eye, which he compares 

 to a telescope, as if the instrument had been devised before 

 the eye, have been deservedly criticised. There is no 

 part of his book more unsatisfactory than this, which con- 

 tains by no means the only illustration which may lead 

 the reader to conclude that arguments have been very 

 unfairly strained for the purpose of making a case which 

 is hopelessly unsound, look to those who only cursorily 

 examine it, as if it were reasonable and good. 



But really I can hardly conceive that one of Mr. Darwin's 



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