220 Miscellaneous. 



artificial, differing from one another only in degree, all having origi- 

 nated from a successive differentiation of a primordial organic form, 

 undergoing successively such changes as would at first produce a 

 variety of species ; then genera, as tjie difference became more exten- 

 sive and deeper; then families, as the gap widened still further 

 between the groups, until in the end all that diversity was produced 

 which has existed or exists now. Far from agreeing with these views, 

 I have, on the contrary, taken the ground that all the natural divi- 

 sions in the animal kingdom are primarily distinct, founded upon 

 different categories of characters, and that all exist in the same way, 

 that is, as categories of thought, embodied in individual living forms. 

 I have attempted to show that branches in the animal kingdom are 

 founded upon different plans of structure, and for that very reason 

 have embraced from the beginning representatives between which 

 there could be no community of origin ; that classes are founded upon 

 different modes of execution of these plans, and therefore they also 

 embrace representatives which could have no community of origin ; 

 that orders represent the different degrees of complication in the 

 mode of execution of each class, and therefore embrace representatives 

 which could not have a community of origin any more than the 

 members of different classes or branches ; that families are founded 

 upon different patterns of form, and embrace representatives equally 

 independent in their origin ; that genera are founded upon ultimate 

 peculiarities of structure, embracing representatives which, from the 

 very nature of their peculiarities, could have no community of origin ; 

 and that, finally, species are based upon relations and proportions that 

 exclude, as much as all the preceding distinctions, the idea of a 

 common descent. 



As the community of characters among the beings belonging to 

 these different categories arises from the intellectual connexion which 

 shows them to be categories of thought, they cannot be the result of 

 a gradual material differentiation of the objects themselves. The 

 argument on which these views are founded may be summed up in 

 the following few words : — species, genera, families, &c. exist as 

 thoughts, individuals as facts. It is presented at full length in the 

 first volume of this work (pp. 137-168), where I have shown that 

 individuals alone have a definite material existence, and that they 

 are, for the time being, the bearers not only of specific characteristics, 

 but of all the natural features in which animal life is displayed in 

 all its diversity, — individuality being, in fact, the great mystery of 

 organic life. 



Since the arguments presented by Darwin in favour of a universal 

 derivation, from one primary form, of all the peculiarities existing now 

 among living beings have not made the slightest impression on my 

 mind, nor modified in any way the views I have already propounded, 

 I may fairly refer the reader to the paragraphs alluded to above as 

 containing sufficient evidence of their correctness, and I will here 

 only add a single argument, which seems to leave the question where 

 I have placed it. 



It seems to me that there is much confusion of ideas it) the general 



