60 



I believe that " thick layers of tissue " were manipulated, in 

 some way or other, to produce that result ; but as I was not 

 there to see the process going on, it is very unreasonable of you 

 to expect me to tell you all or anything about it. It is no 

 business of mine. All I have to do is to evolve theories, and 

 then make them do the work of facts. 



I believe that it all came of a " nerve sensitive to light ;" but 

 how there came to be such a nerve is a question you need not 

 ask me. How can I tell ? Mem : u make a note of it." What- 

 ever was, was. That is a self-evident proposition, and proves 

 my case. 



I believe that there was no design to produce such an eye, but 

 only that there happened to be a " nerve sensitive to light " just 

 where it ought to be, in the head, and at the same time " spaces 

 filled with fluid," all to hand in fact, "this, that, and the 

 other," and a "power intently watching the process," Natural 

 Selection to wit but all accidental, nothing of purpose. You 

 may say that you have a right to be indignant at such an insult 

 offered to your common sense. You may be; but I have 

 nothing to do with common sense. 



I believe that Natural Selection was thus " intently watching 

 each accidental alteration," but without any prescribed plan of 

 her own. It was altogether a fortuitous proceeding. Thus, 

 you see, the eye was the result of a series of accidents, going on 

 in millions upon millions of billions upon billions of years, and at 

 a sacrifice of a still greater number of lives in failures. This is 

 a philosophical argument ; and as it is quite sufficient for me, let 

 it suffice for you also. In a word, only take for granted all my 

 " vain imaginations," and " we may believe that a living optical 

 instrument was thus formed, as superior (as I said) to one of 

 glass as the works of the Creator are to those of man." By 

 " Creator," you will of course understand that I mean a Creator 

 of my own creating, that is to say, in other words, " Natural 

 Selection." 



I believe, you see, that in order to make a perfect animal or 

 creature of any kind, it is not at all necessary to know how to 

 make it. Not in the least certainly not. The only three 



