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p。 33； vol。 viii。 p。 304。 In the address on 〃Geological
Contemporaneity and Persistent Types〃 （1862）； the
paleontological proofs of this proposition were； I believe；
first set forth。
That the state of nature； at any time； is a temporary phase of a
process of incessant change； which has been going on for innumerable
ages； appears to me to be a proposition as well established as any in
modern history。
Paleontology assures us； in addition； that the ancient philosophers
who； with less reason； held the same doctrine； erred in supposing that
the phases formed a cycle； exactly repeating the past； exactly
foreshadowing the future； in their rotations。 On the contrary； it
furnishes us with conclusive reasons for thinking that； if every link
in the ancestry of these humble indigenous plants had been preserved
and were accessible to us； the whole would present a converging series
of forms of gradually diminishing complexity； until； at some period in
the history of the earth； far more remote than any of which organic
remains have yet been discovered； they would merge in those low groups
among which the Boundaries between animal and vegetable life become
effaced。*
* 〃On the Border Territory between the Animal and the Vegetable
Kingdoms；〃 Essays； vol。 viii。 p。 162
＇6＇ The word 〃evolution；〃 now generally applied to the cosmic process；
has had a singular history； and is used in various senses。* Taken in
its popular signification it means progressive development； that is；
gradual change from a condition of relative uniformity to one of
relative complexity； but its connotation has been widened to include
the phenomena of retrogressive metamorphosis； that is； of progress
from a condition of relative complexity to one of relative uniformity。
As a natural process； of the same character as the development of a
tree from its seed； or of a fowl from its egg； evolution excludes
creation and all other kinds of supernatural intervention。 As the
expression of a fixed order； every stage of which is the effect of
causes operating according to definite rules； the conception of
evolution no less excludes that of chance。 It is very desirable to
remember that evolution is not an explanation of the cosmic process；
but merely a generalized statement of the method and results of that
process。 And； further； that； if there is proof that the cosmic process
was set going by any agent； then that agent will be； the creator of it
and of all its products； although supernatural intervention may remain
strictly excluded from its further course。
So far as that limited revelation of the nature of things； which we
call scientific knowledge； has ＇7＇ yet gone； it tends； with constantly
increasing emphasis； to the belief that； not merely the world of
plants； but that of animals； not merely living things； but the whole
fabric of the earth； not merely our planet； but the whole solar
system； not merely our star and its satellites； but the millions of
similar bodies which bear witness to the order which pervades
boundless space； and has endured through boundless time； are all
working out their predestined courses of evolution。
* See 〃Evolution in Biology；〃 Essays； vol。 ii。 p。 187
With none of these have I anything to do； at present； except with that
exhibited by the forms of life which tenant the earth。 All plants and
animals exhibit the tendency to vary； the causes of which have yet to
be ascertained； it is the tendency of the conditions of life； at any
given time； while favouring the existence of the variations best
adapted to them； to oppose that of the rest and thus to exercise
selection； and all living things tend to multiply without limit； while
the means of support are limited； the obvious cause of which is the
production of offspring more numerous than their progenitors； but with
equal expectation of life in the actuarial sense。 Without the first
tendency there could be no evolution。 Without the second； there would
be no good reason why one variation should disappear and another take
its place； that is to say there would be no selection。 Without the ＇8＇
third； the struggle for existence； the agent of the selective process
in the state of nature； would vanish。*
* Collected Essays； vol。 ii。 passim。
Granting the existence of these tendencies； all the known facts of the
history of plants and of animals may be brought into rational
correlation。 And this is more than can be said for any other
hypothesis that I know of。 Such hypotheses； for example； as that of
the existence of a primitive； orderless chaos； of a passive and
sluggish eternal matter moulded； with but partial success； by
archetypal ideas； of a brand…new world…stuff suddenly created and
swiftly shaped by a supernatural power； receive no encouragement； but
the contrary； from our present knowledge。 That our earth may once have
formed part of a nebulous cosmic magma is certainly possible； indeed
seems highly probable； but there is no reason to doubt that order
reigned there； as completely as amidst what we regard as the most
finished works of nature or of man。** The faith which is born of
knowledge； finds its object in an eternal order； bringing forth
ceaseless change； through endless time； in endless space； the
manifestations of the cosmic energy alternating between phases of
potentiality and phases of explication。 It may be that； as Kant
suggests；*** every cosmic ＇9＇ magma predestined to evolve into a new
world； has been the no less predestined end of a vanished predecessor。
**Ibid。； vol。 iv。 p。 138； vol。 v。 pp。 71…73。
***Ibid。； vol。 viii。 p。 321。
II。
Three or four years have elapsed since the state of nature； to which I
have referred； was brought to an end； so far as a small patch of the
soil is concerned； by the intervention of man。 The patch was cut off
from the rest by a wall； within the area thus protected； the native
vegetation was； as far as possible； extirpated； while a colony of
strange plants was imported and set down in its place。 In short； it
was made into a garden。 At the present time； this artificially treated
area presents an aspect extraordinarily different from that of so much
of the land as remains in the state of nature； outside the wall。
Trees； shrubs； and herbs； many of them appertaining to the state of
nature of remote parts of the globe； abound and flourish。 Moreover；
considerable quantities of vegetables； fruits； and flowers are
produced； of kinds which neither now exist； nor have ever existed；
except under conditions such as obtain in the garden； and which；
therefore； are as much works of the art of man as the frames and
glasshouses in which some of them are raised。 That the 〃state of Art；〃
thus created in the state of nature by man； is sustained by and
dependent on him； would at once become ＇10＇ apparent； if the watchful
supervision of the gardener were withdrawn； and the antagonistic
influences of the general cosmic process were no longer sedulously
warded off； or counteracted。 The walls and gates would decay；
quadrupedal and bipedal intruders would devour and tread down the
useful and beautiful plants； birds； insects； blight； and mildew would
work their will； the seeds of the native plants； carried by winds or
other agencies； would immigrate； and in virtue of their long…earned
special adaptation to the local conditions； these despised native
weeds would soon choke their choice exotic rivals。 A century or two
hence； little beyond the foundations of the wall and of the houses and
frames would be left； in evidence of the victory of the cosmic powers
at work in the state of nature； over the temporary obstacles to their
supremacy； set up by the art of the horticulturist。
It will be admitted that the garden is as much a work of art；* or
artifice； as anything that can be mentioned。 The energy localised in
certain human bodies； directed by similarly localised intellects； has
produced a collocation of other material bodies which could not be
brought about in the state of nature。 The same proposition is true of
all the
* The sense of the term 〃Art〃 is becoming narrowed； 〃work of
Art〃 to most people means a picture； a statue； or a piece of
bijouterie； by way of compensation 〃artist〃 has included in its
wide embrace cooks and ballet girls； no less than painters and
sculptors；
＇11＇ works of man's hands； from a flint implement to a cathedral or a
chronometer； and it is because it is true； that we call these things
artificial； term them works of art； or artifice； by way of
distinguishing them from the products of the cosmic process； working
outside man； which we call natural； or works of nature。 The
distinction thus drawn between the works of nature and those of man；
is universally recognized； and it is； as I conceive； both useful and
justifiable。
III。
No doubt； it may be properly urged that the operation of human energy
and intelligence； which has brought into existence and maintains the
garden； by what I have called 〃the horticultural process；〃 is；
strictly speaking； part and parcel of the cosmic process。 And no one
could more readily ag