This, he insisted, is as great a proof of
intelligence as any living being can give.
"Plants," said he, "show no sign of interesting themselves in human
affairs. We shall never get a rose to understand that five times seven
are thirty-five, and there is no use in talking to an oak about
fluctuations in the price of stocks. Hence we say that the oak and the
rose are unintelligent, and on finding that they do not understand our
business conclude that they do not understand their own. But what can a
creature who talks in this way know about intelligence? Which shows
greater signs of intelligence? He, or the rose and oak?
"And when we call plants stupid for not understanding our business, how
capable do we show ourselves of understanding theirs? Can we form even
the faintest conception of the way in which a seed from a rose-tree turns
earth, air, warmth and water into a rose full-blown? Where does it get
its colour from? From the earth, air, &c.? Yes--but how? Those petals
of such ineffable texture--that hue that outvies the cheek of a
child--that scent again? Look at earth, air, and water--these are all
the raw material that the rose has got to work with; does it show any
sign of want of intelligence in the alchemy with which it turns mud into
rose-leaves? What chemist can do anything comparable? Why does no one
try? Simply because every one knows that no human intelligence is equal
to the task.
Pages:
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322