52 



INTRODUCTION 



speaking, in another connection, of the intellectual 

 value of a slow development of things he observes, 

 " their nature is much more easy to conceive when 

 they are seen originating by degrees in this way, 

 than when they are considered as entirely made."^ 

 The past of Nature is a working-model of how 

 worlds can be made. The probabilities are there 

 is no better way of making them. If Man does as 

 well it will be enough. In any case he can only 

 begin where Nature left off, and work with such 

 tools as are put into his hands. If the new 

 partner had been intended merely to experiment 

 with world-making, no such legacy of useful law 

 had been ever given him. And if he had been 

 meant to begin de novo on a totally different plan, 

 it is unlikely either that that should not have been 

 hinted at, or that in his touching and beautiful 

 endeavour he should be embarrassed and thrown 

 off the track by the old plan. As a child set 

 to complete some fine embroidery is shown the 

 stitches, the colours, and the outline traced upon 

 the canvas, so the great Mother in setting their 

 difficult task to her later children provides them 

 with one superb part finished to show the pattern. 



^ Discourse on Method. 



