GOD IN NATURE
Sir,-Let me hasten to assure J. E. Hamill that when I point out the obvious evils and cruelties inherent in Nature I do not feel in the least degree romantic. Is there anything romantic or even "revealing or inspiring" in the spectacle of a cat slowly clawing a mouse to death; of a kea tearing the vitals from a lamb; of a school of killer whales ripping piece by piece the tonguefrom their larger relation; of a humanity tortured by disease and pain? If that is ‘romanticism, then it is romanticism of ‘a queer and perverted kind. It is quite true that criticism cannot alter certain aspects of Nature that lie ‘beyond man’s control. But as regards
the evil of disease, science, fortunately for mankind, far from "doing nothing about it," has done, is doing, and will continue to do very much. I repeat, good and evil are inextricably interwoven throughout Nature; what is good for the the kea is bad for the lamb; good for the microbe, evil for man; and so on up and down the scale. "Rob’s" accusation of gate-crashing, I think, is hardly relevant. The gate, I take it, is open to all.
LIONEL
COONEY
(Auckland).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 170, 25 September 1942, Page 3
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203GOD IN NATURE New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 170, 25 September 1942, Page 3
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