208 WALTEi; KlDl), ESQ., M.D., F.Z.S., 



with the pjreatest gi-atifi cation. It shows it ha-i emanaterl from a 

 man, who is not only by his profession a physiolo^^ist and com- 

 parative anatomist, but from one wlio has also jj^rasped the 

 problems of that science which, I pretend to know something 

 about — that is, g-eology ; and it is quite true that anyone dealing 

 with this question of development, or evolution, whatever name 

 you choose to give it, must in some degree have mastered the 

 rudiments of geology, as well as of physiology, and compai'ative 

 anatomy. Dr. Kidd, in his paper, has shown that he has done 

 so — sufficient certainly for the purpose he had in hand. 



Now, I have spoken so often on questions of this kind that I 

 really hesitate to appear before this Society this evening, and 

 I should much have preferred to have been an intelligent listener 

 and to have heard othei^s, who have taken up this question of the 

 succession of animal and plant-life on our globe, than to hear 

 myself speak upon it. But I thought that, perhaps, the author 

 of the paper might think, that if I did not take part in the dis- 

 cussion, I did not sufficiently appreciate the value of the subject 

 wliich he has put before us ; that is very far from being the 

 case. 



Now with regard to the general question of design in Nature 

 I am really ashamed to have to stand here, or in any company, 

 and to have to plead, along with others, for the evidence there 

 exists for Design in creation. It seems to me so to plead for 

 itself, and to answer for itself, that it is almost impertinent for 

 any one having ordinary reason, with which he is endowed, to have 

 to come before an assembly, and have to point out the wonderful 

 organization and arrangement of animals and plants of this globe, 

 as Avell as those bodies which I am glad to see the author has 

 introduced under the term of inorganic evolution, though I doubt 

 whether it is a proper term. When we look at the world around 

 ns and know something of past history, physical and organic, to 

 deny creative design seems to me to be like a man who shuts his 

 eyes and denies there is a sun in the heavens. The ''country 

 parson," if he will allow me to call him so, as I hove not caught 

 his name, has very properly stated that the origin of life requires 

 a Creator. There is in the current number of the Contemporary 

 Review a most able article by the Duke of Argyll, Avho, I am pleased 

 to see, although of very advanced age, still possesses that acute 

 intellect and reasoning jjower coml)iiH'd with great range of 



