1 L8 WALTER KIDD, M.D., P.Z.S., ON 



might be supposed to survey the unfolding plot, whether he 

 looked back or forward, could not fail to note the close 

 correspondence of life with environment and preparation of 

 environment for coming life at each and every stage. 

 When these two corresponding and correlated sides of the 

 matter are looked at fairly, the argument for Design in 

 Nature goes beyond that of means to ends in particular 

 oases, and the cogency of the proof is doubled at one 

 stroke. The validity of the " Argument from Design " now 

 rises to the height of moral certainty, perhaps never more 

 than probable in the strict scientific sense, in the sense in 

 which, as Jevons points out, the theory of gravitation is only 

 probable. It is hardly too much to say that biologists, 

 disguise it as they may, under the name of '' natural laAvs," 

 " energy," '• response," " adjustment," '* adaptation," " selec- 

 tion," "heredity," "struggle," "survival of fittest," do 

 tacitly adopt this connecting link of Purpose in Nature as a 

 Avorking hypothesis, and when disavowing any form of 

 teleology can never rid themselves of its common terms. 



Though the progress of science is ever " Excelsior," and 

 cloud after cloud of ignorance is penetrated by her growing 

 light, a heavy mystery must always enwrap certain of her 

 problems no less than those of religion. But it has been 

 beautifully and ably shown by Ballard in his Miracles of 

 Unbeliefs that for those who abandon the guiding light of 

 Revelation and faith in their study of Nature's secrets, the 

 difficulties are vastly greater than for those who see Divine 

 Purpose and Plan in Nature. 



Discussion. 



Mr. Martin Rouse.— We heard just now in this paper that 

 even the bacterium shows its adaptation to an environment, that it 

 is required to go to work where it does go to work, and we know that 

 a wonderful invention of man has followed on this discovery of 

 Pasteur's by which corrupt refuse has been made to devour itself 

 in what is called the Bacterial System of Sewage. By this 

 admirable system the bacteria multiply to such an extent that 

 they devour the rubbish and then eat themselves, so that finally 

 there is nothing left ! I may say for that alone, I have observed 

 to my intense admiration, the wonderful provisions for cleansing 



