evolution and ethics and other essays-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　agree　to　that　proposition　than　I。　In　fact；　I　do　not
know　that　any　one　has　taken　more　pains　than　I　have；　during　the　last
thirty　years；　to　insist　upon　the　doctrine；　so　much　reviled　in　the
early　part　of　that　period；　that　man；　physical；　intellectual；　and
moral；　is　as　much　a　part　of　nature；　as　purely　a　product　of　the　cosmic
process；　as　the　humblest　weed。*

　　　　*　See　〃Man's　Place　in　Nature；〃　Collected　Essays；　vol。　vii。；　and
　　　　〃On　the　Struggle　for　Existence　in　Human　Society〃　（1888）；　below。

But　if；　following　up　this　admission；　it　is　urged　＇12＇　that；　such　being
the　case；　the　cosmic　process　cannot　be　in　antagonism　with　that
horticultural　process　which　is　part　of　itselfI　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。　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
constantly　tending　to　break　it　down　and　destroy　it。　No　doubt；　the
Forth　bridge　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　seawater　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
tending　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；　working　through　man
upon　a　portion　of　＇13＇　the　plant　world；　opposes　the　same　energy　as　it
works　through　the　state　of　nature；　but　a　similar　antagonism　is
everywhere　manifest　between　the　artificial　and　the　natural。　Even　in
the　state　of　nature　itself；　what　is　the　struggle　for　existence　but　the
antagonism　of　the　results　of　the　cosmic　process　in　the　region　of　life；
one　to　another？*

　　　　*　Or　to　put　the　case　still　more　simply。　When　a　man　lays　hold　of
　　　　the　two　ends　of　a　piece　of　string　and　pulls　them；　with　intent
　　　　to　break　it；　the　right　arm　is　certainly　exerted　in　antagonism
　　　　to　the　left　arm；　yet　both　arms　derive　their　energy　from　the
　　　　same　original　source。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV。

Not　only　is　the　state　of　nature　hostile　to　the　state　of　art　of　the
garden；　but　the　principle　of　the　horticultural　process；　by　which　the
latter　is　created　and　maintained；　is　antithetic　to　that　of　the　cosmic
process。　The　characteristic　feature　of　the　latter　is　the　intense　and
unceasing　competition　of　the　struggle　for　existence。　The
characteristic　of　the　former　is　the　elimination　of　that　struggle；　by
the　removal　of　the　conditions　which　give　rise　to　it。　The　tendency　of
the　cosmic　process　is　to　bring　about　the　adjustment　of　the　forms　of
plant　life　to　the　current　conditions；　the　tendency　of　the
horticultural　process　is　the　adjustment　of　the　conditions　to　the　needs
of　the　forms　of　plant　life　which　the　gardener　desires　to　raise。

The　cosmic　process　uses　unrestricted　multiplication　＇14＇　as　the　means
whereby　hundreds　compete　for　the　place　and　nourishment　adequate　for
one；　it　employs　frost　and　drought　to　cut　off　the　weak　and　unfortunate；
to　survive；　there　is　need　not　only　of　strength；　but　of　flexibility　and
of　good　fortune。

The　gardener；　on　the　other　hand；　restricts　multiplication；　provides
that　each　plant　shall　have　sufficient　space　and　nourishment；　protects
from　frost　and　drought；　and；　in　every　other　way；　attempts　to　modify
the　conditions；　in　such　a　manner　as　to　bring　about　the　survival　of
those　forms　which　most　nearly　approach　the　standard　of　the　useful　or
the　beautiful；　which　he　has　in　his　mind。

If　the　fruits　and　the　tubers；　the　foliage　and　the　flowers　thus
obtained；　reach；　or　sufficiently　approach；　that　ideal；　there　is　no
reason　why　the　status　quo　attained　should　not　be　indefinitely
prolonged。　So　long　as　the　state　of　nature　remains　approximately　the
same；　so　long　will　the　energy　and　intelligence　which　created　the
garden　suffice　to　maintain　it。　However；　the　limits　within　which　this
mastery　of　man　over　nature　can　be　maintained　are　narrow。　If　the
conditions　of　the　cretaceous　epoch　returned；　I　fear　the　most　skilful
of　gardeners　would　have　to　give　up　the　cultivation　of　apples　and
gooseberries；　while；　if　those　of　the　glacial　period　once　again
obtained；　open　asparagus　beds　would　be　superfluous；　and　the　training
of　fruit　＇15＇　trees　against　the　most　favourable　of　mouth　walls；　a
waste　of　time　and　trouble。

But　it　is　extremely　important　to　note　that；　the　state　of　nature
remaining　the　same；　if　the　produce　does　not　satisfy　the　gardener；　it
may　be　made　to　approach　his　ideal　more　closely。　Although　the　struggle
for　existence　may　be　at　end；　the　possibility　of　progress　remains。　In
discussions　on　these　topics；　it　is　often　strangely　forgotten　that　the
essential　conditions　of　the　modification；　or　evolution；　of　living
things　are　variation　and　hereditary　transmission。　Selection　is　the
means　by　which　certain　variations　are　favoured　and　their　progeny
preserved。　But　the　struggle　for　existence　is　only　one　of　the　means　by
which　selection　may　be　effected。　The　endless　varieties　of　cultivated
flowers；　fruits；　roots；　tubers；　and　bulbs　are　not　products　of
selection　by　means　of　the　struggle　for　existence；　but　of　direct
selection；　in　view　of　an　ideal　of　utility　or　beauty。　Amidst　a　multitude
of　plants；　occupying　the　same　station　and　subjected　to　the　same
conditions；　in　the　garden；　varieties　arise。　The　varieties　tending　in　a
given　direction　are　preserved；　and　the　rest　are　destroyed。　And　the
same　process　takes　place　among　the　varieties　until；　for　example；　the
wild　kale　becomes　a　cabbage；　or　the　wild　Viola　tricolor；　a　prize