46 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 



except science, and that it was depriving him of the power to fake 

 pleasure in many of those engagements which had formerly added 

 greatly to the joy of his life. We can all realize to some extent the 

 tremendous loss that he sustained, in thus carrying to their natural 

 conclusions his honest convictions. When he and the Duke of 

 Argyll were contemplating the adaptation of parts to their uses, the 

 natural object presented the same appearance to both, and the one 

 was as capable of appreciating the perfection of its construction as 

 the other ; but the one accepted the above-mentioned statement as 

 to its origin, with all that it implies, the other rejected it. This is 

 the point of divergence between the two which leads to such op- 

 posite conclusions ; for originating implies an intelligent purpose, a 

 purpose successfully carried out ; it implies wisdom and power, 

 which again implies an interest taken by the originator in its accom- 

 plishment, that purpose being the disclosure, in some measure, of the 

 mind and character of the originator to the intelligences of what- 

 ever grade with which the universe has been supplied, and this dis- 

 closure everything in the universe is in some way, and to some 

 extent, actively or passively engaged in making ; for everything that 

 emanates from any mind necessarily bears the impress of that mind, 

 and thereby in some measure discloses its character. 



Now if Darwin had accepted that statement as to the origin of 

 life, he would have been at once relieved from the depressing effects 

 arising from the contemplation of man's animal connections ; for his 

 transient impressions would have been thereby made permanent, 

 that intelligent mind presided over the universe, of which he was so 

 profoundly impressed with being such an insignificant portion, as 

 it would have convinced him that his origin was not from below, 

 but from on high, and he could, without misgivings as to the possi- 

 bility of his aspirations being realized, have thrown his .mind open 

 to every wave of joy that came in his way. Whether it was the rap- 

 turous delight in the first outburst of spring, when all nature seems 

 to be celebrating its May-day of gladness, or under the vaulted 

 dome of a midsummer "forest, when the mind is awed as well as 

 elevated by its grandeur, and all life seems engaged in chanting 

 anthems of praise for the bliss of its existence, hCj too, could have 

 joined in the chorus- with gratitude for eyes to see, and mind to 

 comprehend in some measure the amazing beauty and wisdom, 

 majesty and might, displayed in originating and guiding to bene- 



