266 Philosophy of Botany. 



natural philosophy of Heraclitus and Empedocles, and in the 

 scientific writings of Democritus and Aristotle, allusions to 

 ideas, in which we recognize fundamental principles of our 

 modern theory of evolution. 



Two great and weighty fundamental ideas of the theory of 

 evolution are also presented in Genesis, conceived by Moses, 

 in surprising clearness and simplicity — the conception of sepa- 

 ration and differentiation, and the conception of progressive 

 evolution or improvement. 



All these views hitherto proposed in favor of a specific, 

 mutually unconnected production by creation, lead, upon log- 

 ical inferences, to that manner of reasoning which is under- 

 stood as anthropomorphism. Under this term the Creator is 

 conceived as an organism, conjecturing after the manner of 

 man, meditating and altering his plans, ultimately carrying out 

 his designs like a liuman architect would rear his structure. 

 The miraculous aspect has always been unsatisfactory to those 

 of speculative mind, and was too closely affiliated to other 

 ancient mythological narratives as not to invite modified inter- 

 pretations. The inconceivable was prominently proposed, 

 which is merely a sophistic evasion, and means to affirm that 

 one entertains no opinion at all and declines to have one. 



In contrast with this complete scientific inadequacy of the 

 creative hypotheses, we are compelled to seek refuge in the 

 opposite theory of evolution, if we intend to form a conception 

 serving the purpose of rationally acceptable exposition. We 

 are forced and morally bound to make such an attempt, even if 

 these evolutionary doctrines should cast merely a glimmer of 

 probability upon a mechanical and natural origination of the 

 different species of plants and animals, but the more so if they 

 are able equally as plainly and simply, as also completely and 

 comprehensively to explain all related facts. 



These evolutionary theories are by no means what is often, 

 yet falsely, pleaded against them, arbitrary notions or products 

 of the imagination, applicable only to one or the other single 

 organism ; they are indeed strictly scientifically supported the- 

 ories, resting upon a firm and lucid basis, whence the totality 

 of natural phenomena and especially the origin of the organ- 



