276 LAMARCK, AIS LIFE AND WORK 
IV. Lamarck’s Views as published in 1806.* 
“Those who have observed much and have 
consulted the great collections, have been able to 
convince themselves that as gradually as the cir- 
cumstances of their habitat, of exposure to their 
surroundings, of climate, food, mode of living, etc., 
have changed, the characters of size, form, of propor- 
tion between the parts, of color, of consistence, of 
duration, of agility, and of industry have propor- 
tionately changed. 
“They have been able (to see, as regards (tlie 
animals, that the more frequent and longer sustained 
use of any organ gradually strengthens this organ, 
develops it, enlarges it, and gives it a power propor- 
tional to the length of time it has been used; while 
the constant lack of use of such an organ insensibly 
weakens it, causes it to deteriorate, progressively 
diminishes its faculties, and tends to make it waste 
away.t 
“ Finally, it has been remarked that all that nature 
has made individuals to acquire or lose by the sus- 
tained influence of circumstances where their race 
has existed for a long time, she has preserved by 
heredity in the new individuals which have originated 
from them (celle le conserve par la génération aux nou- 
veaux individus qui en proviennent). ‘These verities 
are firmly grounded, and can only be misunderstood 
* Discours ad’ Ouverture du Cours des Animaux sans Vertebres, 
prononcé dans le Muséum a’ Histoire naturelle en mai 1806. (No 
imprint. 8°, pp. 108.) Only the most important passages are here 
translated. 
+ ‘‘ We know that all the forms of organs compared to the uses of 
these same organs are always perfectly adapted. But there is a 
common error in this connection, since it is thought that the forms 
of organs have caused their functions (e7 ont amené l’emplot), whereas 
it is easy to demonstrate by observation that it is the uses (zsages) 
which have given origin to the forms of organs.” 
