wn nourishment
and growth.

So the individual is constantly selecting, and is as constantly on the
guard against being selected. The principle of selection among the
abundant and varied life is in continual operation. And unless he
selects wisely he will not survive; for he will either have insufficient
to live on or else have what is harmful to his life. Nor will he
survive unless he is able to fend off those who would select him for
their own maintenance. There is selection everywhere--selection
_by_ the individual and selection _of_ the individual by surrounding
neighbours and circumstances.

* * *

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