LIFE AND ORGANISATION. 83 



such instances as are not only indisputable in themselves, 

 but extend their conclusions to other kindred cases. The 

 Electrical Fishes appear to us to furnish a striking example 

 of this kind. From what processes of transmutation can be 

 derived the several forms of bodily apparatus in these ani- 

 mals, capable of generating this singular power, and putting 

 it into action by their will ? The argument is analogous as 

 relates to the Poisonous animals, whether reptile or insect in 

 kind. The differences of the poisons themselves, and of the 

 parts instrumental to them, are such as to annul all idea of 

 primitive community of species, even in the case of the 

 venomous serpents, where it would be most natural to expect 

 it. The same reasoning might be applied to the Luminife- 

 rous animals ; and to many other cases, where some special 

 property or provision pervades many species, yet leaves dis- 

 tinct and lasting the individuality of each. 



We might find a further argument in the different, yet 

 definite figure and size of the blood-corpuscles in different 

 animals; a very curious subject, but not yet enough ex- 

 plored to furnish any certain inferences. The reasons we 

 have stated, however, are presumably sufficient to justify the 

 belief, not indeed in all that have been denominated Species 

 (for doubtless many mere varieties and duplicates are cata- 

 logued as such), but in the fixity and permanence of the 

 majority so recorded. No sound reasoner will raise an ob- 

 jection from the multitude thus supposed distinct in their 

 origin. Whether we look to the great or small in creation ; 

 whether to the stars of heaven, or to the infusorial ani- 

 malcules of our own globe; equally must we regard 

 number in the hands of the Creator as a thing wholly apart 

 from our own feeble and limited conception of it. The 

 miracle to us is the act of creation itself. This recognised, 

 (and can it be denied ?) the exertion of the power is sub- 

 ject to no artificial limit of ours. A hundred and a hundred 



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