ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF FINAL CAUSES. 



289 



would not have lived two days, while the cupidity and devotion of its 

 attendants, in fact, provided for the state of its organs. They managed 

 to get it well through its period of lactation, and even beyond, conti- 

 nuing its existence as a lactivorous animal. It finally died. 



Now, following the example of these avaricious speculators, would 

 you allow yourself to be prejudiced in favour of the philosophy of final 

 causes ? You may, like them, be inclined to say, that nature, in 

 endowing this creature, had acted as a good mother, since, with a view 

 to a singular predilection, she had furnished a compensation, as if to 

 balance the irregularity of the other parts. But this would show a 

 wish to penetrate into the secret of causes, and might lead to strange 

 aberrations. At this part of our enquiry let us abide by the sentiment 

 of admiration, and let us not indiscreetly give up our mind to that 

 which, like all our first notions, is and will be eternally above our feeble 

 intelligence. As naturalists, let us abandon audacious thoughts : let us 

 be contented with the manifestations accorded to us, and let us remain 

 the historians of that only which is accessible to our senses. 



But you still insist that (C this knife, for example, is made to cut." 

 Notwithstanding, to abide by the strict observation of fact, I prefer 

 holding to this reply : — The knife is susceptible of cutting ; it may — it 

 will, no doubt, be employed in cutting. " But," you add, iC the work- 

 man did, in fact, expressly make it for cutting." Who told you so? I 

 reply. The workman, it is true, has rendered it fit to cut ; but if this 

 circumstance interprets his intention, why may I not also believe that 

 he formed it to create something productive ; in a word — to be sold ? 

 The knife has in fact been fabricated for various purposes, and you will 

 only admit of one, and you will maintain, without knowing the matter, 

 that this one purpose" prevails over every other that may be opposed to 

 vou. 



But would any one be justified in confidently speaking in this man- 

 ner? This raises another question. There are without doubt high 

 manifestations which attest the designs of Providence : let the minister 

 of the altars, inspired by religion, propose them to our faith ; he thereby 

 fulfils his pious duties : but the naturalist, being in another situation, 

 passes, or ought to pass, from the observation of facts to its only and 

 immediate consequences*. 



* When a theorist goes so far as to maintain, or at least hint, that a knife is not 

 made for cutting, it appears to be hopeless to set him right by facts or reasoning. 

 The concluding remark is very objectionable Editor. 



