Editing Patrick Matthew (section)

== Natural theology ==
Writing to Darwin in 1871, Matthew enclosed an article he had written for ''[[The Scotsman]]'' and, as well as wishing that he had time to write a critique of ''[[The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex]]'', expressed the belief that there is evidence of design and benevolence in nature, and that beauty cannot be accounted for by natural selection.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/darwinletters/calendar/entry-7576.html |title=Darwin Correspondence Project – Letter 7576 – Matthew, Patrick to Darwin, C. R., 12 Mar 1871 |accessdate=13 January 2008 }}</ref> Such a belief is mainstream [[natural theology]], and reveals how far Matthew was from Darwin in realising the potential of evolutionary explanations: for him as well as others, man was the sticking-point.

There is little or no evidence that Matthew held these views as a younger man: there is no discussion of a religious nature in ''Arboriculture''.