42 GENERAL EVOLUTION. 



ft. Probable cases of transition. 

 y. Ascertained cases of transition. 

 Second : earlier metamorphoses. 



S. The origin of inexact parallelisms. 



III. Eelations of higher grouj^s. 



a. Of homologous groups. 



ft. Of heterology. 



y. Of mimetic analogy. 



IV. Of natural selection. 



a. As affecting class and ordinal characters. 

 ft. As affecting family characters. 

 y. As affecting generic characters. 

 S. As affecting specific characters. 

 e. On metaphysical species. 



V. Of epochal relations. 



The laws which have regulated the successive creation of or- 

 ganic beings will be found to be of two kinds, as it appears to the 

 writer. The first, that which has impelled matter to produce_j->, 

 numberless ultimate types from common origins ; second, that / 

 which expresses the mode or manner in which this first law has 

 executed its course, from its commencement to its determined 

 end, in the many cases before us. 



That a descent, with modifications, has progressed from the 

 beginning of the creation, is exceedingly probable. The best 

 enumerations of facts and arguments in its favor are those of 

 Darwin, as given in his various important works, "The Origin of 

 Species," etc. There are, however, some views respecting the 

 laws of development on which he does not dwell, and which it is 

 proj)Osed here to point out. 



In the first place, it is an undoubted fact that the origin of 

 genera is a more distinct subject from the origin of species than 

 has been supposed. 



A descent with modification involves continuous series of or- 

 ganic types through oiie or many geologic ages, and the co-exist- 

 ence of such parts of such various series at one time as the law of 

 mutual adaptation may permit. 



These series, as now found, are of two kinds : the uninter- 

 rupted line of specific, and the same uninterrupted line of generic 

 characters. These are independent of each other, and have not, 

 it appears to the writer, been developed pari passu. As a general 



