Herrick, Nerve Components. 311 
‘‘poor morphologist’’?) has no longer any tenable standing 
ground. What I mean is that anatomical structure cannot be 
understood as the morphology of today demands that it must 
be understood without a full knowledge of the functions of the 
parts, and we must ‘know evolution of function before we can 
have true knowledge of the evolution of structure. Andasa 
matter of fact the biological public is just now coming into a 
practical realization of the truth that we must have a compara- 
tive physiology parallel with our comparative anatomy. It 
seems to us now very strange that we have had to wait a whole 
century after the birth of comparative anatomy for even the 
beginnings of a realization in practice of this elementary 
principle. 
That researches in descriptive anatomy and in pure mor- 
phology are still necessary and will continue to be called for to 
the end of the age there can be no doubt; but it is important 
that we remember that no study of structure is complete until 
the whole significance of that structure (including the evolution- 
ary history of both its form and its function) is exposed and 
the whole complex of fact and meaning not only woven to- 
gether into a single fabric, but fitted into the great pattern of 
reality as a whole in its proper place. 
Now, no one of us can do this perfectly and, as time ad- 
vances and the totality of the known becomes ever more vast 
and intricate, the difficulty grows apace. And yet this we must 
do in some measure in so far as we hope to rank as real build- 
ers inthe permanent temple of truth. If we find ourselves 
unable to see the whole edifice in its proper perspective (as in- 
deed who can ?) we can at least build harmoniously with that 
nitch in which we find ourselves. Let no man delude himself 
with the idea that he is building for himself alone, that he builds 
on no other’s foundation or that he can with safety ignore the 
labors of his coadjutors. Let no research worker hedge him- 
self about and work in isolation ; harmonious cooperation is the 
only possible way to get that breadth of view which all lack as 
individuals. 
