Art and Science 



millions of years before any one had dis- 

 covered oxygen sees and hears, operations 

 that involve an unconscious knowledge of the 

 facts concerning optics and acoustics com- 

 pared with which the conscious discoveries 

 of Newton are insignificant shall we say 

 that a baby can do all these things at once, 

 doing them so well and so regularly without 

 being even able to give them attention, and yet 

 without mistake, and shall we also say at the 

 same time that it has not learnt to do them, 

 and never did them before ? 



" Such an assertion would contradict the 

 whole experience of mankind." 



I have met with nothing during the thirteen 

 years since the foregoing was published that 

 has given me any qualms about its soundness. 

 From the point of view of the law courts and 

 everyday life it is, of course, nonsense ; but 

 in the kingdom of thought, as in that of 

 heaven, there are many mansions, and what 

 would be extravagance in the cottage or farm- 

 house, as it were, of daily practice, is but 

 common decency in the palace of high philo- 

 sophy, wherein dwells evolution. If we leave 



evolution alone, we may stick to common 



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