NATURAL THEOLOGY. 203 



every moment to renew and fortify the convictions he 

 has once attained. 



Of the various forms this argument from design 

 has assumed I still think that of Paley the best, from 

 the lucid manner in which he makes his illustrations 

 serve to establish the personality of the Creator and his 

 unity in creation. He happily expresses in a few words 

 the conclusion attained : ' I desire no greater certainty 

 in reasoning than that by which chance is excluded 

 from the present disposition of the material world.' 



There are those of the present day who deprecate 

 the looking after final causes, and bring the epithet of 

 Lord Bacon to justify their distrust. I myself could 

 wish the phrase changed for one more simply suggest- 

 ing intention or design. But, be the wording what it 

 may, the meaning is one which cannot be discarded. 

 The idea involved has often been ignorantly or pre- 

 sumptuously applied, but this does not annul its reality 

 as a great elementary truth attainable by our reason. 

 And it may be added in this instance that one case 

 well proved becomes the interpreter and proof of a 

 thousand. 



Seeking for the best example of such instantice 

 crucis as I have suggested for use, the eye at once 

 offers itself familiar as an illustration, yet not to be 

 despised on that account, nor because it needs some 

 understanding of this wonderful organ, well described 

 as ' equal in force to many volumes of theology.' The 

 perfect adaptation of a most complex structure to the 

 not less complex properties of light is so complete in 



