Masterpieces of Science 



day by intermediate gradations, whereas species 

 were formerly thus connected. Hence, without 

 rejecting the considerations of the present exist- 

 ence of intermediate gradations between any 

 two forms, we shall be led to weigh more carefully 

 and to value higher the actual amount of differ- 

 ence between them. It is quite possible that 

 forms now generally acknowledged to be merely 

 varieties may hereafter be thought worthy of 

 specific names; and in this case scientific and com- 

 mon language will come into accordance. In 

 short, we shall have to treat species in the same 

 manner as those naturalists treat genera, who 

 admit that genera are merely artificial combina- 

 tions made for convenience. This may not be a 

 cheering prospect; but we shall at least be freed 

 from the vain search for the undiscovered and 

 undiscoverable essence of the term species. 



The other and more general departments of 

 natural history will rise greatly in interest. The 

 terms used by naturalists, of affinity, relation- 

 ship, community of type, paternity, morphology 

 [the science of organic form], adaptive characters, 

 rudimentary and aborted organs, etc., will cease 

 to be metaphorical and will have a plain significa- 

 tion. When we no longer look at an organic 

 being as a savage looks at a ship, as something 

 wholly beyond his comprehension; when we 

 regard every production of nature as one which 

 has had a long history; when we contemplate 

 every complex structure and instinct as the sum- 

 ming up of many contrivances, each useful to the 

 28 



