Origin of Species Variorum

Comparison with 1872

of more numerous bones in the fin of some ancient fish-like progenitor of the whole class. It is scarcely possible to decide how much allowance ought to be made for such causes of change, as the definite action of external conditions, so-called spontaneous variations, and the complex laws of growth; but with these important exceptions, we may conclude that the structure of every living creature either now is, or was formerly, of some direct or indirect use to its possessor. ↑

With respect to the view that organic beings have been created beautiful for the delight of man,— a belief which it has lately been pronounced is subversive of my whole theory,— I may first remark that the sense of .. beauty ... obviously depends on the nature of the mind, irrespective of any real quality in the admired object; and that the idea of what is beautiful, is not innate or unalterable. We see this, for instance, in the men of different races admiring an entirely different standard of beauty in their women. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. If beautiful objects had been created solely for man's gratification, it ought to be shown that before man appeared, there was less beauty on the face of the earth than since he came on the stage. ↑ Were the beautiful volute and cone shells of the Eocene epoch, and the gracefully sculptured ammonites of the Secondary period, created that man might ages afterwards admire them in his cabinet? Few objects are more beautiful than the minute siliceous cases of the diatomaceæ: were these created that they might be examined and admired under the higher powers of the microscope? The beauty in this latter case, and in many others, is apparently wholly due to symmetry of growth. Flowers

of more special use than they now are to these animals with their widely diversified habits, and might consequently have been modified through natural selection. ↑ Making due allowance for the definite action of changed conditions, correlation, reversion, &c., we may conclude that every detail of structure in every living creature is either now or was formerly of use,—directly or indirectly through the complex laws of growth.

With respect to the belief that organic beings have been created beautiful for the delight of man,—a view which it has .. been pronounced may safely be accepted as true, and as subversive of my whole theory,—I may first remark that the idea of the beauty of any object obviously depends on the mind of man, irrespective of any real quality in the admired object; and that the idea is not an innate and unalterable element in the mind. We see this in men of different races admiring an entirely different standard of beauty in their women; neither the Negro nor the Chinese admires the Caucasian beau-ideal. The idea also of picturesque beauty in scenery has arisen only within modern times. On the view of beautiful objects having been created for mans gratification, it ought to be shown that there was less beauty on the face of the earth before man appeared than since he came on the stage. Were the beautiful volute and cone shells of the Eocene epoch, and the gracefully sculptured ammonites of the Secondary period, created that man might ages afterwards admire them in his cabinet? Few objects are more beautiful than the minute siliceous cases of the diatomaceæ: were these created that they might be examined and admired under the higher powers of the microscope? The beauty in this latter case, and in many others, is apparently wholly due to symmetry of growth. Flowers