EVENING FLOWERS. 237 



on to recognize tlie fact that every detail of every 

 blossom has indeed its ai>i)ointed fnnction in tl»o 

 history of the plant, and that a little can.ful 

 stndy will enable the acute human observer to 

 unravel tlie secret of floral construction sulVi- 

 ciently, at least, to understand the main purport 

 of the principal parts. Every flower differs in a 

 thousand small points of shape and detail from 

 every other, and for each such difference there 

 must needs be a good reason. Of course, all of 

 us recognize in a general way that there are 

 infinite meaning and purpose and design in every 

 portion of external nature ; but then we usually 

 recognize it in a very vague fashion only — we 

 never strive to realize it piecemeal throughout all 

 creation in its true complexity. And what we 

 are oftenest thinking of, even when we do bend 

 our minds for a minute or two at stray times to 

 the beautiful adaptations of external nature, is 

 chiefly their relations to the wants of man ; 

 whereas, in the world at large, by far the greatest 

 number of adaptations are those which relate to 

 the needs and peculiarities of the plant or animal 

 itself. Each organism and each species is a won 

 derful piece of complex mechanism, so arranged as 

 to fit harmoniously into some particular niche in 

 nature, and with every part exactly ordained for 

 the special function it is intended to perform. 

 Quite apart from their secondary uses in minister- 



