5 2 PROLEGOMENA 



moral, is as much a part of nature, as purely a product 

 of the cosmic process, as the humblest weed. 10 



But if, following up this admission, it is urged that, 

 such being the case, the cosmic process cannot be in 

 antagonism with that horticultural process which is part 

 of itself I can only reply, that if the conclusion that 

 the two are antagonistic is logically absurd, I am sorry 

 for logic, because, as we have seen, the fact is so. 11 

 The garden is in the same position as every other work 

 of man's art; it is a result of the cosmic process working 

 through and by human energy and intelligence; and, as 

 is the case with every other artificial thing set up in 

 the state of nature, the influences of the latter are con- 

 stantly tending to break it down and destroy it. No 

 doubt, the Forth bridge 12 and an ironclad in the offing, 

 are, in ultimate resort, products of the cosmic process; 

 as much so as the river which flows under the one, or 

 the sea-water on which the other floats. Nevertheless, 

 every breeze strains the bridge a little, every tide does 

 something to weaken its foundations; every change of 

 temperature alters the adjustment of its parts, produces 

 friction and consequent wear and tear. From time to 

 time, the bridge must be repaired, just as the ironclad 

 must go into dock; simply because nature is always tend- 

 ing to reclaim that which her child, man, has borrowed 

 from her and has arranged in combinations which are 

 not those favoured by the general cosmic process. . 



Thus, it is not only true that the cosmic energy, work- 

 ing through man upon a portion of the plant world, 



10 See "Man's Place in Nature," Collected Essays, vol. vii., 

 and "On the Struggle for Existence in Human Society" (1888), 

 vol. ix. [T. H. H.] 



11 See The Method of Scientific Investigation. 



12 Forth bridge is a remarkable railway bridge over a mile and 

 a half long crossing the Firth of Forth. It is built on the canti- 

 lever principle, and was completed in 1889. 



