FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONS OF ANIMALS. 3 



artificial character of their systems, while others have 

 urged theirs as the true expression of the natural relations 

 which exist between the objects themselves. But, whether 

 systems are presented as artificial or natural, they have, 

 to this day, been considered generally as the expression of 

 man's understanding of natural objects, and not as devised 

 by the Supreme Intelligence, and manifested in these ob- 

 jects. 1 



There is only one point in which all these innumerable 

 systems seem to meet, namely, the existence in nature 

 of distinct species, persisting with all their peculiarities, 

 for a time at least; for even the immutability of species 

 has been questioned. 2 Beyond species, however, this con- 

 fidence in the existence of the divisions generally admit- 

 ted in zoological systems diminishes greatly. With respect 

 to genera, we already find the number of the naturalists 

 who accept them as natural divisions much smaller; few 

 of them having expressed a belief that genera have an exist- 

 ence in nature as distinct as species. And as to families, 

 orders, classes, or any kind of higher divisions, they seem 

 to be universally considered as convenient devices, framed 

 with the view of facilitating the study of innumerable 

 objects, and of grouping them in the most suitable man- 

 ner. The indifference with which this part of our science 

 is generally treated becomes unjustifiable, considering the 

 progress which Zoology in general has made of late. It 



1 The expressions constantly used own making ; which can, however, 



with reference to genera and species if the views I shall present below are 



and the higher groups in our systems, at all correct, only be true in so far 



such as, Mr. A. has made such a species as these groups are not true to nature, 

 agenus; Mr.B.r/^0_ysthisorthat spe- - LAMARCK ( J. B. DE), Philosophic 



cies to form his genus; and those in zoologique, Paris, 1809, 2 vols. Svo. ; 



which most naturalists indulge when 2de edit., 1830. POWELL (TiiE REV. 



speaking of their species, their genera, BADEN), Essays on the Spirit of the 



their families, their systems, exhibit Inductive Philosophy, etc., London, 



in an unquestionable light their con- 1855, 1 vol. 8vo. Compare, also, Sect, 



viction, that such groups are of their 15, below. 



B 2 



