PHYSICAL EVILS AND "INIDEALITY" 335 



Do we not thus begin to see a certain natural law in 

 us and about us ? 1 call it " The Law of Inideality," 

 meaning that nothing in this world ever reaches the Ideal 

 which man can conceive of what he would like. 



I quote the following from a paper I wrote upwards 

 of thirty years ago.^ 



" One of the Arguments of Design was supplied by 

 The Adaptation of External Nature to the Physical Con- 

 dition of Man. This was the title of the volume of the 

 Bridgewater Treatises, by Dr. J. Kidd, F.R.S. 



" I cannot but think that many adaptations of man and 

 animals and plants, as well to their sphere of existence, 

 have been much overrated ; for, in fact, they are greatly 

 limited. The conclusion arrived at from a study of such 

 adaptations has been expressed by science somewhat as 

 follows : Animals and plants, and we may include man, 

 do not necessarily live where conditions may be best 

 suited to them, but where other animals and plants, as 

 well as inorganic or physical conditions, will let them 

 live, when they cannot migrate or get away from 

 them. 



" This is the result of the intense struggle for exis- 

 tence and survival of the strongest which obtains every- 

 where. 1 his is a universal fact, and covers the sphere of 

 man's existence as well as that of all other organisms. 

 It requires but a slight observation, provided the mind 

 be free from preconceived ideas, to see that no animal or 

 plant is absolutely or perfectly adjusted to its sphere of 

 existence for every day of its life. These adjustments 

 are ever varying round a mean condition of a fair state 

 of comfort and happiness. Avera_ies in this world must 

 be looked for only. A vast amount of very imperfect 



^•'Natural Theology cons'dered with reference to Modern Philo- 

 sophy," Journal of Transactions of the Victoria, Institute, 1873. 



