THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
41 
the whole swamp was filled with their exulta¬ 
tions at our predicament.” 
“ Delightful, wasn’t it, Milton ?” added David¬ 
son ; “ and what an apt instance it furnishes us 
of the ways of the world! In seeking its prom¬ 
ised pleasures we generally get more smutches 
and pains than true enjoyments. And, by the 
by, Milton,” he continued, “ I think the dismal 
scene of stagnation, death, and discord through 
which we passed may stand as a very plausible 
argument against your father’s favorite theory, 
that all things show the clear tracings of super¬ 
natural design and skill, in beauty of forms and 
special adaptations.” 
“ Yes,” replied Milton, “ that is my father’s 
theory; and it seems to me that it must be held 
by every intelligent being whose eyes are open; 
and it may, perhaps, seem a little singular that 
the very scene through which you had such an 
unpropitious ramble, and which you instance as 
disproving the doctrine, my father has used as 
an apt illustration of its truth.” 
“Well, I should say, emphatically,” replied 
Davidson, “that it would require a wonderful 
amount of sophistry and special pleading to 
frame an argument from such premises. It 
