“It is certain that matter is somehow directed, controlled, and arranged, while no material forces or properties are known to be capable of discharging such functions. … I believe that it will be found, that the institution of the series of preparatory changes which occur previous to the development of the lasting form and structure of tissues can only be accounted for upon the supposition of the existence of a power capable of fore seeing what was about to happen, and of determining beforehand the arrangement that would be most advantageous to the living being, and able to provide beforehand for requirements that it was foreseen would arise at a fucure time.”

“The laws of nature do not account for their own origin.”

It is sometimes sneeringly affirmed that colleges teach little but the art of finding where knowledge is; and yet that is a great and difficult art. In the froth-oceans of weak books, it is a high service to point out to a hurried man, on any interesting theme, the most serviceable volumes. What are the dozen best English, and what the dozen best German books on biology? In response to many inquiries, verbal and written, let me attempt an answer to this rather formidable question. There are few or no good books on biology older than 1860. […]