103 



As genes cliange, so change individuals. Yet, no new gene is ever created 

 or produced ; no existent gene ever vanislies. The genes now present are 

 tliose that have existed from the etemal past and will continue to exist 

 throughout the infinite futui-e. The phenomena of an individual change from 

 time to time, (the latter plurase of course being understood as meaning very 

 long intervals of time). Such changes are brought al)out in the individual 

 itself or by crossing with others. When the latter is the case, it somelimes 

 does, and sometimes does not, foUow the MendeUan law. Yet, for aU that, 

 individuals are always the same in their real entities. Gtenes present in 

 individuals are not at aU isolated, but are in close continuity in their essence. 

 If we fix upon diflferent colours to represent diflferent genes, the latter presenfc 

 different hues, according to the conditions imder which they are exposed at 

 this time or that. Different genes are, therefore, exactly similar in their reat 

 entities. Consequently, aU individuals are to be regarded from two differen- 

 poiuts of view ; one being that of universaJity, and the other that of particul 

 hirity. The universality of individuals foUows from the unity of the genes 

 contained in them, while the particularity of individuals is made comprehen- 

 sible by the difference of the phenomenal appsarances of the genes and the 

 different combinations of the latter. 



Now, in order to present to my readers more plainly the mutual relation 

 of genes j)i"esent in indi\-iduals, let us assume tlitit individuals are composed 

 of numerous rosaries formed of numerous, temporarily different, beads. Further, 

 we wUl assume at the same time that the individuals are, as I have said 

 before, sometliing Hke knots caused by bringing close together here and there 

 some of these entangled rosaries ; also that the phenomenal appearances of 

 tlie beads of the rosaries do not cease to change fi'om time to time, as the 

 beads are in close concatenation and in incessant flux in their essence ; as 

 the beads change, so do the phenomenal appearances of individuals (if we 

 think of unlimited time). Tliese beads are somewhat comparable to the genes 

 of wliich I have spoken before ; and they in the Umited sense of phenomenal 

 apxjeamnces are, at the same time, comparable to what are caUed genes by the 

 student of genetics. It must be granted, however, that though I have 

 compared the beads to the genes, yet the former denote only fixed qualities 



