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their shapes), and also every “ fowl of the air,” as well as man, 
— “ the life,” always acting according to the will of that Higher 
Power “ by Whom and for Whom ” they exist. At present, 
however, any such physical derivation, or even apparent 
evolution, as here suggested with so much haste, is in want of 
proof. One single fact of the self-advancement of a species into 
a higher order would have saved the speculation from the 
ignominious position in which it now stands — as a conclusion 
in search of its premisses. 
XXIV. Let no followers of this theory flatter themselves then 
that we at all consider them as “ reasoners ” who are “ going 
too far,” misled by “ the pride of intellect,” and so on. It is 
just the reverse. We say to them, “ Reason to the utmost of 
your power, (as St. Augustine did), none of your mere theories 
for us ; facts and hard logic, if you please ; keep to it is, and 
be a little less given to it may be, and you need not part 
company with us ; we may be good friends even yet.” 
It must be observed that we have not complained of Mr. 
Darwin's terminology, though the terms “ natural Mr. Darwin’s 
selection” and “ evolution ” are open to evident terminology, 
misapprehension. We only find fault with his aversion to 
sound reasoning. Abstract terms like “ selection ' and “ evo- 
lution ” are always liable, of course, to mislead, and no care- 
fulness in adopting them will altogether obviate this. . The 
best way of guarding ourselves against latent mischief in 
abstractions is to get into the habit of translating them some- 
times, and seeing how they look and what they mean in the 
concrete. “ Selection,” perhaps, suggests too much as to a 
power of conscious choice ; but if we said “ tendency,” it 
might (at times) cover the idea of “intention,” and that 
would be little better. There is no use in disputing terms 
which are approximately best for the meaning. . When it is 
said that Nature “ selects,” it is language familiar to us in 
other connections, as when we are told that the stomach 
rejects and “selects” food in certain conditions, and dis- 
tributes its elements, implying thereby no volition, but life 
and law of another kind. We speak, without rebuke, of 
the “deterioration” of certain species under certain conditions 
of food, air, clothing, and general treatment ; and in so speak- 
ing we assume the activity of natural powers, according to 
certain laws. So as to “ evolution.” All “ growth ” is a kind 
of evolution ; and such Biblical phrases as “ after his kind ” 
and “ seed within itself ” concede the idea. Whether the 
evolution permanently escapes certain grooves and moves 
upwards, and to what extent> are simply questions of fact, to 
be ascertained on inquiry, like other alleged facts. 
