2i8 From Matter to Man. 



sense-organs of an animal are originally only 

 specialised parts of the sensitive external integument, 

 we then comprehend in some small degree the mode 

 by which many, if not all, mechanical eccentricities in 

 animal forms have been accidentally developed by 

 automatic laws. We can also understand how 

 organisms are independent of supernatural agents, 

 while it is further obvious that the whole scheme of 

 universal existence shows no intentional struggle after 

 those higher ideals hitherto postulated by inspired 

 sciolists as nature's " chief end." 



Lastly, among the legions of mechanical models 

 indigenous to earth, it is but natural that some should 

 be admirably adapted to their life conditions. Thus, 

 few organisms are more perfect than the salmon for 

 swimming, the swallow for flying, the greyhound for 

 coursing, and man for handiwork. Yet no animal, 

 not even man, is perfect, for nothing living adequately 

 fulfils our ideal of a form best fitted for mundane, not 

 to say universal, existence. Nature through her 

 ordinary agencies has obviously attempted (acci- 

 dentally) to combine an aerial, a terrestrial, and an 

 aquatic existence, but the products, such as the 

 penguin and garfou, are ludicrous. 



The perfect animal, according to current opinion, 

 would be an angel, at home everywhere; but angels 

 are only poets' dream-stuff. 



Assuming then that animals in their structure and 

 mechanism are haphazard and chance, the sport of 

 spontaneous creation and accidental development, the 



