380 ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 



not possible to represent in a series, on a flat surface, 

 the affinities which we discover in nature amongst the 

 beings of the same group. Thus, on the view which I 

 hold, the natural system is genealogical in its arrange- 

 ment, like a pedigree ; but the degrees of modification 

 which the different groups have undergone, have to be 

 expressed by ranking them under different so-called 

 genera, sub - families, families, sections, orders, and 

 classes. 



It may be worth while to illustrate this view of 

 classification, by taking the case of languages. If we 

 possessed a perfect pedigree of mankind, a genealogical 

 arrangement of the races of man would afford the best 

 classification of the various languages now gpoken 

 throughout the world ; and if all extinct languages, and 

 all intermediate and slowly changing dialects, had to 

 be included, such an arrangement would, I think, be 

 the only possible one. Yet it might be that some very 

 ancient language had altered little, and had given rise 

 to few new languages, whilst others (owing to the 

 spreading and subsequent isolation and states of civilisa- 

 tion of the several races, descended from a common 

 race) had altered much, and had given rise to many new 

 languages and dialects. The various degrees of differ- 

 ence in the languages from the same stock, would have 

 to be expressed by groups subordinate to groups ; but 

 the proper or even only possible arrangement would still 

 be genealogical ; and this would be strictly natural, as 

 it would connect together all languages, extinct and 

 modern, by the closest affinities, and would give the 

 filiation and origin of each tongue. 



In confirmation of this view, let us glance at 

 the classification of varieties, which are believed or 

 known to have descended from one species. These 

 *re grouped under species, with sub - varieties under 

 varieties ; and with our domestic productions, several 

 other grades of difference are requisite, as we have 

 seen with pigeons. The origin of the existence of 

 groups subordinate to groups, is the same with varieties 

 as with species, namely, closeness of descent with various 



