298 BOTANY. [Ch. XVI. 



evolutionist studies the purpose or meaning of organs with 

 the zeal of the older Teleologist, but with far wider and more 

 coherent purpose. He has the invigorating knowledge that 

 he is gaining not isolated conceptions of the economy of the 

 present, but a coherent view of both past and present. And 

 even where he fails to discover the use of any part, he may, by 

 a knowledge of its structure, unravel the history of the past 

 vicissitudes in the life of the species. In this way a vigour and 

 unity is given to the study of the forms of organised beings, 

 which before it lacked. Mr. Huxley has well remarked : * 

 " Perhaps the most remarkable service to the philosophy of 

 Biology rendered by Mr. Darwin is the reconciliation of 

 Teleology and Morphology, and the explanation of the facts 

 of both, which his views offer. The teleology which supposes 

 that the eye, such as we see it in man, or one of the higher 

 vertebrata, was made with the precise structure it exhibits, for 

 the purpose of enabling the animal which possesses it to see, 

 has undoubtedly received its death-blow. Nevertheless, it is 

 necessary to remember that there is a wider teleology which is 

 not touched by the doctrine of Evolution, but is actually based 

 upon the fundamental proposition of Evolution." 



The point which here especially concerns us is to recognise 

 that this " great service to natural science," as Dr. Gray 

 describes it, was effected almost as much by Darwin's special 

 botanical work as by the Origin of Species. 



For a statement of the scope and influence of my father's 

 botanical work, I may refer to Mr. Thiselton Dyer's article in 

 1 Charles Darwin,' one of the Nature Series. Mr. Dyer's wide 

 knowledge, his friendship with my father, and his power of 

 sympathising with the work of others, combine to give this 

 essay a permanent value. The following passage (p. 43) gives 

 a true picture : — 



"Notwithstanding the extent and variety of his botanical 

 work, Mr. Darwin always disclaimed any right to be regarded 

 as a professed botanist. He turned his attention to plants, 

 doubtless because they were convenient objects for studying 

 organic phenomena in their least complicated forms ; and this 

 point of view, which, if one may use the expression without 

 disrespect, had something of the amateur about it, was in itself 

 of the greatest importance. For, from not being, till he took 

 up any point, familiar with the literature bearing on it, his 

 mind was absolutely free from any prepossession. He was never 

 afraid of his facts, or of framing any hypothesis, however 



* The " Genealogy of Animals " (Tlie Academy, 1869), reprinted in 

 Critique* and Addresses. 



