286 The Evolution of Optics. 



not true. Sensitive protoplasm explains all, if sensitiveness be ex- 

 plained and if we are told how protoplasm came into existence. 

 Chemistry has no more conception of the chemical processes of organic 

 metabolism than have birds on telegraph wires a hint of the messages 

 going through their feet. The bit of " opaque pigment " and the " de- 

 pression " were no more fortuitous results in the evolution of the eye 

 than the electric button of your Edison light is a chance accident of 

 house-building. Function always precedes organization. Life always 

 precedes function, and purpose rules every step of evolution. Where 

 purposiveness, there mentality. Selection requires a selector, and natu- 

 ral selection, as a blind force or mechanical explanation, never modi- 

 fied an organ or begot an adaptation. Living matter and dead matter 

 are the most dissimilar things in this world, and to explain life as a 

 function of matter is the height of absurdity. Evolution can not 

 evolve what was not previously involved, or what was not within the 

 evolving thing ; the effect exists potentially in the cause. I look upon 

 the origin of the eye as of that of every organ as a designed tool of 

 intelligent, ingenious life. The pigment spot was located in the best 

 place by a mentally equipped protoplasm * or purposive power, and its 

 outfitting is a beautiful example of intelligence. 



As regards the varieties and modifications of eyes found in animals, 

 Dr. Alleman has brought out clearly the laws expressing or causing 

 them. The first and most important consists in the influence of loco- 

 motive powers or habits. The greater and swifter and more compli- 

 cated the movements of an animal, the more perfect the organ of 

 vision if light be present. This fact was forcibly brought home to me 

 very lately. I got from the United States Fish Commissioner some 

 little brook-trout eggs. They were about a sixth of an inch in diame- 

 ter, almost transparent. Putting one under a one-inch objective, you 

 could see the wonderful little being all formed, and could even see the 

 blood-corpuscles and currents sweeping through the tiny blood-vessels 

 like sand through an hour-glass. Most astounding, however, were the 

 tremendous great eyes! So important is vision to the "speckled 

 beauties" in catching flies and escaping enemies and obstacles, so 

 quickly must they move among the pebbles of their home, that Life 

 had thus early had to make the eye her chief work of formation and 

 arrangement. I hatched the little fellows out, and, despite their big 

 yolk-sacs, when the light comes they run like mad for a protecting 

 pebble. So it is all through the animal kingdom. Visual power and 

 perfection had to keep pace with or precede the necessities of quick 



* A word nobody knows the meaning of. and a thing nobody knows the chem- 

 ical construction of, and which no two persons would apply to the same sub- 

 stance. It is a name not understood, given a thing not understood by persons 

 not understanding. 



