CiiAP. I. IDENTICAL TYTES FOUND EVERYWHERE. 17 



or those of the Antarctic regions ; there arc not any more between the foxes and 

 Avolves of the most distant parts of the globe.^ Moreover, if there were any, and 

 the specific differences existing between tliem were insisted upon, could any relation 

 between these differences and tlie cosmic influences under which they live be pointed 

 out, which would at the same time account for the inde2)endence of their structure 

 in general ? Or, in other words, how could it l)e assumed that while these causes 

 would produce specific diflerences, they would at the same time produce generic 

 identity, family identity, ordinal identity, class identity, t^-pical identity ? Identity in 

 every thing that is truly im2)ortant, high, and complicated in the structure of ani- 

 mals, produced by the most diversified influences, while at the same time these 

 extreme physical differences, considered as the cause of the existence of these ani- 

 mals, would produce diversity in secondary relations only! What logic! 



Does not all this show, on the contrary, that organized beings exhibit the most 

 astonishing independence of the physical causes under which they live; an independ- 

 ence so great that it can only be understood as the result of a power governino' 

 these physical causes as well as the existence of animals and plants, and bringing all 

 into harmonious relations by adaptations Avliich never can be considered as cause and 

 effect? 



When naturalists have investigated the influence of physical causes upon livino- 

 beings, they have constantly overlooked the fact that the features which are thus 

 modified are only of secondary importance in the life of animals and plants, and 

 that neither the plan of their structure, nor the various complications of that struc- 

 ture, are ever affected by such influences. What, indeed, are the parts of the body 

 which are, in any way, affected by external influences? Chiefly those wliicli ai-e in 

 inimediate contact with the external world, such as the skin, and in the skin chiefly 

 its outer layers, its color, the thickness of the fur, the color of the hair, the feathers, 

 and the scales ; then the size of the body and its weight, as flir as it is dependent on 

 the ([uality and quantity of the food ; the thickness of the shell of MoUusks, when 

 they live in waters or upon a soil containing more or less limestone, etc. The 

 rapidity or slowness of the growth is also influenced in a measure by the course of 

 the seasons, in different years; so is also the fecundity, the duration of life, etc. 

 But all this has nothing to do \vith the essential characteristics of animals. 



A Ijook has yet to Ije written upon the independence of organized beings of 

 l^hysical causes, as most of what is generally ascribed to the influence of physical 

 agents upon organized beings ought to be considered as a connection established 

 between them in the general plan of creation. 



* Innuniiiiililr dllicr cxMiniilcs iiiiL'lit lie i|U(>li(l, iialiiralists ; those mentioned above may sutRce for 

 wh'u-h will icailily present themselves to professional my iirirunient. 



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