EVOLUTION 955 



and bud-like Darwins, and smaller, yet still well grown, in the 

 ordinary more open forms; but how small — often even aborted — 

 in the Parrots. Yet notice in these how the gorgeous and fullest- 

 opened perianth even falls back, as in the Iris withering, but here 

 losing co-ordination before it withers. Finally, note the frequent 

 large midribs of verdant vigour in its gaudy outer perianth leaves 

 especially, for may not these be the expression of an incipient return 

 of this exaggeratedly floral form to more vegetative life — ^much as 

 we saw above for the common Asparagus, and for re-vegetative 

 Orchids ? If so, might it not be possible next to make experimental 

 anti-floral cultures, and raise smaller and greener Parrots from 

 these too splendid red ones? Let some younger gardener try it, for 

 time would probably be required. Since the green roses we can get 

 from any nursery are such reversions from red ones, this kindred 

 tulip-experiment is by no means hopeless; and still less would it 

 be absurd to cultivate these back to flowering again. Perhaps re- 

 invigorated, both in foliage and flowering together, like Masdevallia 

 above — and for that matter as the often at once super-verdant and 

 highly floral composites have arisen in nature; or these by turns, 

 like the sunflowers and Jerusalem artichokes above mentioned. 

 If so, such plant-forms are of no mere "spontaneous" or "sporting" 

 variations, but have progressive development from within, intelli- 

 gibly rationalised in terms of its elemental rhythm, and even to a 

 change in direction of their evolution ; even to their own reversibility 

 of rhythm in this dance of life, when this goes too far for saiety. Is 

 not this in fact another expression of the vis medicatrix naturce, and 

 this at times to the reversibility of what may well seem its extremest 

 figures ? Think here of our own human and musal dances, with their 

 contrasted beauty of alternately preponderating urges of life- 

 sustaining and life-continuing — and this dancing not only individual 

 but with partners and groups, all deeply life-urged and life-inspired. 



The wonderful circumnutation movement of leaves and shoots 

 is thus but the normal bow to the elemental Sun-father: the dance 

 itself goes on throughout organic life. Each organism is so far 

 strictly conditioned, and subject to all the chances, advantages, or 

 accidents of life as well; yet it is none the less also internally con- 

 ditioned. First of all by hereditary tradition ; yet this not preventing 

 the development of new and varying steps : so the dance of Evolu- 

 tion goes on, ever the same, yet often new. In brief, life is so far 

 plastic, so far fated, yet active and insurgent as well. 



In the most fertile and variable of all old mytho-poesies, though 

 Brahma breathes the urge of life, and Vishnu maintains it, till 

 Siva destroys, one of its greatest imageries is yet that of the music 

 and dance of Siva in creative mood — amid flaming energies and 

 upon the conquered, though lately threatening, earth-dragon. So 

 Kali, the destroyer, is also Nature-Mother in turn. To modem 



