NOMINALISM AND DARWINISM.
I To TIER EDITOR OF SPRETATOR."] SIR,—Mr. Close has sent you from Dublin an illustration in support of your remarks on Professor Huirley's paper in the current number of the Nineteenth Century. Can you afford me space for a farther contribution to the controversy P
The great Darwin himself assumes among the forces which have been transforming the physical world, a pure idea, in the Platonic sense of the word,—namely, the preference of female birds for the beautiful (see "Descent of Man," Vol. L, page 04); yet we may feel sure that Professor Huxley would not place Darwin among the pseudo-scientific realists.
The peacock's tail, the plumage of tropical birds, the scales on britterffies' wings, have all, according to Darwin's teaching, been produced by the idea of the beautiful acting as a cosmogonie energy upon the molecules of matter. If I have misinterpreted Darwin's meaning, I shall be grateful for correction; but it does seem to me that one may be an orthodox Darwinian, and yet not for that necessarily be a Nominalist.—I am, Sir, do., Athenceuin Club, February 15th. ARTHUR RUSSELL.
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