certain that when we
contemplate almost any forms of plant-structure which, for special
reasons of utility, differ widely from these (to us) more habitual
forms, the result is not suggestive of beauty. Many of the tropical and
un-tree-like plants--such as the cactus tribe--strike us as odd and
quaint, not as beautiful. Be this however as it may, I trust I have said
enough to prove that in the vegetable world, at all events, the
attainment of beauty cannot be held to have been an object aimed at, so
to speak, for its own sake. Even if, for the purposes of argument, we
were to suppose that all the forms and colours in the vegetable world
are due to special design, there could be no doubt that the purpose of
this design has been in chief part a utilitarian purpose; it has not
aimed at beauty exclusively for its own sake. For most of such beauty as
we here perceive is plainly due to the means adopted for the attainment
of life-preserving ends, which, of course, is a metaphorical way of
saying that it is probably due to natural selection[50].

[50] The beauty of autumnal tints in fading leaves may possibly be
adduced _per contra_. But here we have to remember that it is only
some kinds of leaves which thus become beautiful when fading, while,
even as regards those that do, it is not remarkable that their
chlorophyll should, as it were, accidentally assume brilliant tints
while breaking down into lower grades of chemical constitution. The
case, in fact, is exactly parallel to those in the animal kingdom
which are considered in the ensuing paragraphs.

Turning, then, to the animal kingdom below the level of insects, here we
are bound to confess that the beauty which so often meets us cannot
reasonably be ascribed either to natural or to sexual selection. Not to
sexual selection for the reasons already given; the animals in question
are neither sufficiently intelligent to possess any aesthetic taste, nor,
as a matter of fact, do we observe that they exercise any choice in
pairing. Not to natural selection, because we cannot here, as in the
case of vegetables, point to any benefit as generally arising from
bright colours and beautiful forms. On the principles of naturalism,
therefore, we are driven to conclude that the beauty here is purely
adventitious, or accidental. Nor need we be afraid to make this
admission, if only we take a sufficiently wide view of the facts. For,
when we do take such a