FACTORS OF ORGANIC EVOLUTION 49 



already observed, accepted by many outsiders whose 

 predecessors denounced it as impious and blas- 

 phemous. But this is the usual manner of accept- 

 ance : Yes, certainly evolution is true, but your 

 explanation of its modus operandi is imperfect, and 

 must ever remain so. We say it is imperfect 

 because it does not explain all the facts : we say it 

 must ever remain so, because there is one essential 

 factor in organic evolution which you are not 

 capable of recognising until you are convinced 

 that your own explanations are inadequate. This 

 factor is a Directive or Designing Principle which 

 controls the whole process from outside, producing 

 those favourable variations the origin of which you 

 are admittedly unable to explain ; and ever exer- 

 cising a subtle but indispensable influence upon the 

 course of the whole process. This is the " unknown 

 factor " in organic evolution. 



Let us carefully consider the real meaning of 

 this contention. The evolutionists have shown 

 that, for instance, the shape of the plant which 

 catches and imprisons the insects that serve for 

 its food is not, as was supposed, an instance of 

 Creative Design, but has been produced by natural 

 selection. The contention of the new school of 

 " reconcilers " is, when examined, found to entail 

 nothing other than the reinstatement of the idea 

 of design in a shape somewhat less crude than that 

 which satisfied Paley. But the position of our 

 friends is really untenable ; for it amounts to 

 nothing less unphilosophic than the admission of 

 the natural explanation whenever it is feasible, 

 and the assertion of the supernatural explanation 



D 



