66 THE SUM IMPRESSION 



the individual by surrounding neighbours and 

 circumstances. 



Thus far we have only recapitulated what most 

 men are familiar with since Darwin commenced 

 preaching the doctrine of Evolution by Natural 

 Selection sixty years ago. But the Naturalist- 

 Artist of the future will probably not be content 

 with the conclusion to which so many jump that all 

 that Nature teaches or expects of individuals — 

 plants, beasts, or men — is that they should adapt 

 themselves to their surroundings and fit themselves 

 to survive ; that all Nature has at heart is adapt- 

 ability of individuals to their surroundings and their 

 fitness to survive. The lowly amoeba can perform 

 these unenterprising functions more fitly than him- 

 self. And the Artist would never be satisfied with 

 so mean and meagre an ambition as merely to adapt 

 himself to his surroundings and fit himself to survive. 

 If he saw evidence of no higher expectation than 

 that in the workings of Nature, his heart would cer- 

 tainly not cleave to her heart. And there being 

 estrangement and coolness between his heart and 

 hers, he would see no Beauty in Nature and his 

 pursuit of Natural Beauty might here end. 



But an instinct within him tells him that this 

 cannot be the last word as to Nature's character 

 and methods. He himself is constantly risking his 

 life with no thought of trying to survive, and he 

 sees his neighbours doing the same. And his 

 inclination is to go a good deal farther than tamely 

 adapting himself to his surroundings. He wants 

 and strives to rise superior to them — and he finds 



