THE SUPERNATURAL. 43 



questions, — first, the question what all these com- 

 plicated organs are in their primitive relation to 

 each other; and secondly, how these successive 

 modifications have arisen, so as to fit them for new 

 and changing uses. Now, it is very remarkable 

 that of these two questions, that which may be 

 called the most abstract and transcendental — the 

 most nearly related to the Supernatural and the 

 Supermaterial — is again precisely the one which 

 Darwin is able to ^solve most clearly. We have 

 already seen how well he solves the first question 

 — What is the use and intention of these various 

 parts ? The next question is, What are these parts 

 in their primal order and conception ? The answer 

 is, that they are members of a numerical group, 

 having a definite and still traceable order of sym- 

 metrical arrangement. They are expressions of a 

 numerical idea, as so many other things — perhaps 

 as all things — of beauty are. Mr Darwin gives a 

 diagram, showing the primordial or archetypal 

 arrangement of Threes within Threes, out of which 

 all the strange and marvellous forms of the Orchids 

 have been developed, and to which, by careful 

 counting and dissection, they can still be ideally 



