342 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 



ment help us here over all obstacles; for when in the animal 

 kingdom we follow the gradual progress towards perfection 

 of the eyes and ears, step by step, we find such a finely 

 graduated series of improvement, that we can clearly 

 follow the development of the most complex organs through 

 aU the stages towards perfection. Thus, for example, the 

 eye in the lowest animal is a simple spot of pigment which 

 does not yet reflect any image of external objects, but at 

 most perceives and distinguishes the different rays of light. 

 Later, we find in addition to this a sensitive nerve ; then 

 there gradually develops within the spot of pigment the 

 first beginning of the lens, a refractive body which is now 

 able to concentrate the rays of light and to reflect a definite 

 image. But all the composite apparatus for the movement 

 of the eye and its accommodation to variations of light and 

 distance are stiU absent, namely, the various refractive 

 media, the higlily differentiated membrane of the optic 

 nerve, etc., which are so perfectly constructed in higher 

 animals. Comparative anatomy shows us an uninteiTupted 

 succession of all possible stages of transition, from the 

 simplest organ to the most highly perfected apparatus, so 

 that we can form a pretty correct idea of the slow and 

 gradual formation of even such an exceedingly complex 

 organ. The like gradual progress which we observe in the 

 development of the organ during the course of individual 

 development, must have taken place in the historical 

 (phyletic) origin of the organ. 



Many persons when contemplating these most perfect 

 organs — which apparently were purposely invented and 

 constructed by an ingenious Creator for a definite function, 

 but which in reality have arisen by the aimless action 



