Il6 THE DOCTRINE OF DESCENT. 



next, still requiring some degree of moisture, it burrows 

 in the earth, and at least loves concealment, hiding with 

 coquettish timidity from man and other animals. Finally, 

 when the creature arrives at the surface, it hops and 

 frisks, so that it carries on its existence erect, and even 

 moves to and fro on two feet with marvellous rapidity. 

 Transferred to completely dry land, we at last find the 

 decisive influence of the airy eminence and the all- 

 vivifying light. The animal is endowed with the greatest 

 ease of movement ; it acts and works with consummate 

 skill, until a bird-like motion passes into an apparent 

 flight." 



Thus does Goethe elaborate the influence of environ- 

 ment and external conditions upon the modifications of 

 form ; it is in vain to look for the actual forms that are 

 modified. The beaver is not transformed into the mouse- 

 like burrower, the mouse into the jumping mouse, nor 

 the jumping mouse into the squirrel, nor does the 

 latter become a jerboa; but the "ceaseless progressive 

 transformation " is perceptible only to the eye of the 

 imagination. In reality, moreover, Goethe sees only 

 adaptation. Greatly as he is inclined to attribute 

 modifications to the efi"ect of external conditions, he 

 speaks with no less decision on the contrary side. *' The 

 parts of the animal, their relative form, their conditions, 

 their special characters, determine the requirements of 

 the creatures' existence ;" and if within the restricted 

 circle of forms, we nevertheless find that infinite modi- 

 fications of form become possible (Sketch, 1796), this 

 is only to be deduced from the individual species 

 exhibited as modifications of the archetype, by Nature, 

 ever one and ever creative. 



