248 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



than a crest of sapphire. A frill ending in spangles 

 of the emerald is no better in the battle of life 

 than a frill ending in the spangles of the ruby. 

 A tail is not affected for the purposes of flight, 

 whether its marginal or its central feathers are 

 decorated with white. It is impossible to bring 

 such varieties into relation with any physical 

 law known to us. It has relation, however, to 

 a Purpose, which stands in close analogy with 

 our own knowledge of Purpose in the works 

 of Man. Mere beauty and mere variety, for 

 their own sake, are objects which we ourselves 

 seek when we can make the Forces of Nature 

 subordinate to the attainment of them. There 

 seems to be no conceivable reason why we 

 should doubt or question, that these are ends 

 and aims also in the Forms given to living Orga- 

 nisms, when the facts correspond with this view, 

 and with no other. In this sense, we can trace 

 a creative Law, — that is, we can see that these 

 Forms of Life do fulfil a purpose and intention, 

 which we can appreciate and understand. 



But then it may be asked, has this purpose and 

 intention been attained without the use of means ? 



