280 THE AMERICAN BEAVER. 



exemplar of this principle, and separated by a wide 

 interval from its other possessors. The separation is as 

 marked and real as could be desired. But it is doubt- 

 ful whether he possesses the sum of the powers of the 

 principle called mind. It is precisely here, as it seems 

 to the writer, that God has revealed a feature in the 

 plan of creation not less wonderful than the original 

 conception of a mental principle. Having called into 

 existence this marvelous principle, and created a series 

 of organic forms, He apportioned it among them all 

 in such measure as to adapt each individual being to 

 the sphere of life in which he was designed to move. 

 The widest possible range for the exercise and devel- 

 opment of mind was thus provided. A full compre- 

 hension of its powers and capacities must therefore 

 be sought in its varied manifestations by the several 

 species. It is not probable that the whole of its powers 

 are possessed by any species : but rather that in their 

 totality they are to be found among the members of 

 the animal kingdom as a whole. A true system of 

 mental philosophy, therefore, cannot be developed 

 until all the manifestations of this principle are com- 

 prehended. 



The hiatus between man and the nearest species 

 below him in the scale of intelligence is so wide as to 

 disturb the symmetrical gradation of the several 

 orders of animals. We can neither conjecture that 

 some intermediate order has fallen out of existence, 

 nor assume the permanent degradation of any existing 

 species; but, on the contrary, it seems to have been a 

 part of the original plan of creation that man should 

 stand without a compeer or contestant, the indisputable 

 head of the series of organic forms, and the recipient, 



