PREDOMINANT THEORY EXAMINED. 149 



that whatever is reft from the domain of ignorance 

 and made undoubted matter of science, forms a 

 new support to the same doctrine. The opposite 

 view, once predominant, has been shrinking for 

 ages into lesser space, and now maintains a 

 footing only in a few departments of nature which 

 happen to be less liable than others to a clear 

 investigation. The chief of these, if not almost 

 the only one, is the origin of the organic kingdoms. 

 So long as this remains obscure, the supernatural 

 will have a certain hold upon enlightened persons. 

 Should it ever be cleared up in a way that leaves 

 no doubt of a natural origin of plants and animals, 

 there must be a complete revolution in the view 

 which is generally taken of our relation to the 

 Father of our being. 



This prepares the way for a few remarks on the 

 present state of opinion with regard to the origin 

 of organic nature. The great difficulty here is 

 the apparent determinateness of species. These 

 forms of life being apparently unchangeable, or at 

 least always showing a tendency to return to the 

 character from which they may have diverged, the 

 idea arises that there can have been no progres- 

 sion from one to another ; each must have taken 

 ^its special form, independentiy of other forms, 



