103 



As genes change, so change individuals. Yet, no new gene is ever created 

 or produced ; no existent gene ever vanishes. The genes now present are 

 those that have existed from the eternal past and will continue to exist 

 throughout the infinite future. The phenomena of an individual change from 

 time to time, (the latter phrase of course being understood as meaning very 

 long intervals of time). Such changes are brought about in the individual 

 itself or by crossing with others. When the latter is the case, it sometimes 

 does, and sometimes does not, follow the Mendeliau law. Yet, for ah 1 that, 

 individuals are always the same in their real entities. Genes present in 

 individuals are not at all isolated, but are in close continuity in their essence. 

 If we fix upon different colours to represent different genes, the latter present 

 different hues, according to the conditions under which they are exposed at 

 this time or that. Different genes are, therefore, exactly similar in their reat 

 entities. Consequently, all individuals are to be regarded from two differen- 

 points of view ; one being that of universality, and the other that of particul 

 larity. The universality of individuals follows from the unity of the genes 

 contained in them, wliile the particularity of individuals is made comprehen- 

 sible by the difference of the phenomenal appaarauces of the genes and the 

 different combinations of the latter. 



Now, in order to present to my readers more plainly the mutual relation 

 of genes present in individuals, let us assume that individuals are composed 

 of numerous rosaries formed of numerous, temporarily different, beads. Further, 

 we will assume at the same time that the individuals are, as I have said 

 before, somet]iiug like knots caused by bringing close together here and there 

 some of these entangled rosaries ; also that the phenomenal appearances of 

 the beads of the rosaries do not cease to change from time to time, as the 

 beads are in close concatenation and in incessant flux in their essence ; as 

 the beads change, so do the phenomenal appearances of individuals (if we 

 think of unlimited time). These beads are somewhat comparable to the genes 

 of which I have spoken before ; and they in the limited sense of phenomenal 

 appearances are, at the same time, comparable to what are called genes by the 

 student of genetics. It must be granted, however, that though I have 

 compared the beads to the genes, yet the former denote only fixed qualities 



