[TheRomanesLecture, 1893.]
Soleoenimetinalienacastratransire, nontanquamtransfugasedtanquamexplorator.(.4.)
THEREisadelightfulchild'sstory, knownbythetitleof "JackandtheBean-stalk," , and, perhaps, havebecomeacquaintedwithfairylandonlythroughprimersofcomparativemythology, -plant, ,beingmovedtoclimbthestalk, discoversthattheleafyexpansesupportsaworldcomposedofthesameelementsasthatbelowbutyetstrangelynew; andhisadventuresthere, onwhichImaynotdwell, musthavecompletelychangedhisviewsofthenatureofthings;thoughthestory, nothavingbeencomposedby, orfor,philosophers, hasnothingtosayaboutviews.
, tomany, isprobablystrange, , asyouknow, asimple, , ifplantedunderproperconditions, ofwhichsufficientwarmthisoneofthemostimportant, , risestothesurfaceofthesoil, rapidlyincreasesinsizeand, atthesametime, undergoesaseriesofmetamorphoseswhichdonotexciteourwonderasmuchasthosewhichmeetusinlegendaryhistory, merelybecausetheyaretobeseeneverydayandalldaylong.
Byinsensiblesteps, theplantbuildsitselfupintoalargeandvariousfabricofroot, stem, leaves,flowers, andfruit, everyonemouldedwithinandwithoutinaccordancewithanextremelycomplexbut, atthesametime, , asintheirsmallestconstituents, thereisanimmanentenergywhich, inharmonywiththatresidentinalltheothers,incessantlyworkstowardsthemaintenance ,ofthewholeandtheefficientperformanceofthepartwhichithastoplayintheeconomyofnature.
