CHAPTER XXIII. 



FUKTHEK VIEW OP THE SYSTEM OF LIVING FOEMS, AS SUG- 

 GESTING ITS MODE OF DEVELOPMENT 



'HAD the author of the "Vestiges of Creation" and his 

 opponents both understood the doctrine of Series, Degrees, 

 and Correspondences, as unfolded in the preceding pages of 

 this work, and had they duly observed the indications of these 

 doctrines in regard to the origin, constitution, and laws of 

 nature, the relations of visible effects to invisible and spiritual 

 causes, and the relations of the universe and all its sub-serial 

 and corresponding parts, to the Infinite Divine Spirit, as the 

 Projector, Originator, and Vitalizer of all, they might, by a 

 mutual, and in that case obviously required, modification of 

 their views, have come to a perfect agreement on all essential 

 points, without compromising any true principle of theological 

 faith, or disregarding any real fact in science or true principle 

 in philosophy. The view which, as it appears to me, recon- 

 ciles all real scientific facts, ancl all true philosophical and 

 theological principles, I will now proceed to briefly unfold. 



I will premise by saying that the idea of progression, as a 

 general fact connected with the origin and movements of 

 creation, as a whole, and with the origin and movements of 

 each of its sub-serial and correspondent parts, seems to be 

 necessarily involved in the idea of successive movements or 

 unfoldings, from beginnings toward predetermined ends. 

 Every successive movement or effort is a closer approximation 



