The Heart of Nature; or, The Quest for Natural BeautyYounghusband, Francis Edward, Sir
Philosophy
The Heart of Nature; or, The Quest for Natural Beauty
Younghusband, Francis Edward, Sir
Himalaya Mountains -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Himalaya Mountains; Nature (Aesthetics)
Thus far we have only recapitulated what most men are familiar
with since Darwin commenced preaching the doctrine of Evolution
by Natural Selection sixty years ago. But the Naturalist-Artist of the
future will probably not be content with the conclusion to which so
many jump that all that Nature teaches or expects of individuals
--plants, beasts, or men--is that they should adapt themselves to their
surroundings and fit themselves to survive; that all Nature has at
heart is adaptability of individuals to their surroundings and
their fitness to survive. The lowly amoeba can perform these
unenterprising functions more fitly than himself. And the Artist
would never be satisfied with so mean and meagre an ambition as
merely to adapt himself to his surroundings and fit himself to
survive. If he saw evidence of no higher expectation than that in the
workings of Nature, his heart would certainly not cleave to her heart.
And there being estrangement and coolness between his heart and
hers, he would see no Beauty in Nature and his pursuit of Natural
Beauty might here end.
But an instinct within him tells him that this cannot be the last word
as to Nature's character and methods. He himself is constantly
risking his life with no thought of trying to survive, and he sees his
neighbours doing the same. And his inclination is to go a good deal
farther than tamely adapting himself to his surroundings. He wants
and strives to rise superior to them--and he finds his neighbours
likewise striving. So with this instinct goading him on he is driven to
probe deeper still into the mystery of the forest life.
* * *
Of selection and adaptation we have seen evidence throughout the
whole forest life. Now, where there is selection and where there is
adaptation there must be _purposiveness._ Selection implies the
power of choice, and we have seen how plants as well as animals
deliberately and effectively exercise this power of choice. And
adaptation implies adjustment to an end, and we have seen how
wonderfully plants no less than animals adapt themselves to certain
ends. And where individuals have the power of choice and exercise
that power; and where they have the power of adapting themselves
to certain ends and exercise that power, there obviously is
purposiveness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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