1910.] The ^'Circular System'' of Maclcay and Swaun^on. 73 



classification wliich was even more impracticable and aberrant, 'i'lie 

 mammals were classified into three groups, lower, middle and higher, each 

 of these divided again into lower, middle and higher stages, the stages again 

 into orders. 



In England the "metaphysical" school was represented especially by 

 Macleay and by Swainson. 



The "Circular System" of Macleay was proposed in 1819-21 in a rare 

 work called 'Horse Entomologicse or Essays on the Annulose Animals.' 

 According to Swainson (1835, pp. 198-199) the germs of this "natural 

 method" may be found in the work of Herrmann, 'Tabula Affinitatum 

 Animalium,' 1783, which "contains numerous comparisons, and many 

 valuable observations, on the resemblances which difterent animals bear to 

 each other. . . . Herrmann seemed to have no clear perception of the difterence 

 between analogy and affinity, although, like most others who had gone 

 before him, he did not confound them when treating of very remote re- 

 semblances." 



Macleay's system was suggested by a study of I>amarck's views of the 

 branching nature of natural series. Macleay conceived the idea that the 

 terminal branches exliibited affinities, and thus the circuit, to use a modern 

 simile, would be completed. 



The circular system was developed in the erudite but very "metaphysical" 

 works of William Swainson, especially in his 'Treatise on the Geography 

 and Classification of Animals' (1836, pp. 224-225). The primary theses 

 finally enunciated by Swainson were as follows : 



"I. That every natural series of beings, in its progress from a given 

 point, either actually returns, or evinces a tendency to return, again to that 

 point, thereby forming a circle. 



"n. The primary circular divisions of every group are three actually, 

 or five apparently. 



"in. The contents of such a circular group are symbolically (or 

 analogically) represented by the contents of all other circles in the animal 

 kingdom. 



"IV. That these primary divisions of every group are characterised 

 by definite peculiarities of form, structure, and economy, which, under 

 diversified modifications, are uniform throughout the animal kingdom, 

 and are therefore to be regarded as the primary types of nature. 



"V. That the different ranks or degrees of circular groups exhibited 

 in the animal kingdom are nine in number, each being involved within the 

 other." 



In brief it was held that "creative power delighted in the symmetry of 

 numbers and in circular arrangements" (Gill, 1907, p. 501). These "cir- 



