remarkable fossils re-constructed by the amaz- 

 ing genius of Cuvier, to study the involved 

 appearances, disappearances and relations of 

 long bygone or of still living races of barbar- 

 ous and civilized mankind and also of species, 

 varieties and individuals of animals, plants 

 and minerals in their likewise complex inter- 

 relations, differences and ramnifications : aye, 

 until even like Baer he discovers the true seat 

 of the human germ of Life. 



As a gi-andly final result of his readings, 

 his reflections, his searches and his experiments 

 he finds that Life owes its faint beginning to 

 primal germs. These germs I hold to be 

 infinitesimally minute living atoms pervading 

 the entire teiTestrial atmosphere ; and, perhaps, 

 the entity of the Cosmos . 



Perishable themselves, each is the common 

 carrier of the principle of Life which is inde- 

 structible and eternal, and each is lastingly im- 

 bued with the peculiar characteristics of the 

 species and, but less so, of the individual its 

 particular variety alone is able to form. The 

 characteristics and attributes of any germ may 

 be greatly modified or limitedly altered dur- 

 ing its union with its sexual opposite to form 

 its kind. 



