246 THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. [CHAP. 



Pangenesis of the individual is a term without meaning. 

 If, in contemplating an animal of high organization, we 

 regard it purely as an aggregation of developed gemmuies, 

 although these gemmuies have been evolved successively 

 one after the other, and one within the other, notwithstand- 

 ing they elude the conception of the real and true indi- 

 vidual, these problematical and invisible gemmuies must 

 be regarded as so many individuals. Now, that real, true, 

 living individuals exist in nature, is a truth which is persis- 

 tently attested to us by our consciousness. But how, then, 

 can we explain that a great quantity of dissimilar elements, 

 like the atoms of matter, can unite to form those perfect 

 unities which we call individuals, if we do not suppose the 

 existence of a specific principle, proper to the individual 

 but foreign to the component atoms, which aggregates these 

 said atoms, groups them into molecules, and then moulds 

 the molecules into cells, the cells into tissues, the tissues 

 into organs, and the organs into apparatus ? " 



" But, it may be urged in opposition by the Pangenesists, 

 your vital principle is an unknown and irresolute x. This 

 is true ; but, on the other hand, let us see whether Pan- 

 genesis produces a clearer formula, and one free from 

 unknown elements. The existence of the gemmuies is a 

 first unknown element; the propagative affinity of the 

 gemmuies is a second ; their germinative affinity is a 

 third ; their multiplication by fission is a fourth and 

 what an unknown element ! " 



"Thus, in Pangenesis, everything proceeds by force of 

 unknown elements, and we may ask whether it is more- 

 logical to prefer a system which assumes a multitude of 

 unknown elements to a system which assumes only a 

 single one,?" 



