20 FLORA INDICA. 



of naturalists who seek to bind nature by arbitrary laws. So 

 again with regard to specific centres ; except, we are agreed 

 with an author as to whether the same species has been created 

 in one or more localities, and at one or more times, we shall 

 be at cross purposes when discussing points and principles re- 

 lating to identity of species and geographical distribution. 



Great differences of opinion have from the earliest days of 

 science always existed on the nature of species. The 

 lent opinion has undoubtedly at all times been, that a species 

 is a distinct creation, distinguishable from all others by cer- 

 tain permanent characters. Many eminent philosophers, how- 

 ever, have taken a contrary view ; of these the best known 

 have been Lamarck, and more recently the anonymous author 

 of the c Vestiges of Creation/ Into the arguments on either 

 side it is not now our intention to enter ; indeed we could not 

 do so without occupying more space and time than are at 

 our disposal. A most masterly view of the present state of 

 the question will be found in Sir C. Ly ell's € Principles of Geo- 

 logy/ where the arguments of Lamarck and others are stated 

 with great fairness, and answered by the author, whose 

 opinion is decided in favour of species being definite crea- 

 tions. In this we are disposed to agree, having seen no ar- 

 gument which is sufficient to alter the a priori conclusion to 

 which facts appear to point, that it is more probable that spe- 

 cies should have been created with a certain degree of varia- 

 bility, than that mutability should be a part of the scheme of 

 nature. This however is pre-eminently a question for syste- 

 matists. Long and patient observation in the field, and much 

 practice in sifting and examining the comparative value of 

 characters, can alone give the experience which will warrant 

 the expression of a decided opinion on a question of so much 



difficulty. 



It cannot be doubted that the general acceptance which the 



doctrine of the mutability of species has met with amongst 

 superficial naturalists, has originated in a reaction from early 

 impressions of the absolute fixity of characters. The student 



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