144 FROM THE GREEKS TO DARWIN 



His principle of Continuity, which is very close 

 to the modern conception of Evolution, was in 

 another passage expressed as follows — showing 

 conclusively that he held very positive views as 

 to the evolution of life and even of the gradual 

 ascent of man through species linking him with 

 the apes: 



All advances by degrees in Nature, and nothing 

 by leaps, and this law as applied to each, is part of 

 my doctrine of Continuity. Although there may exist 

 in some other world species intermediate between 

 Man and the Apes, Nature has thought it best to 

 remove them from us, in order to establish our supe- 

 riority beyond question. I speak of intermediate spe- 

 cies, and by no means limit myself to those leading 

 to Man. I strongly approve of the research for 

 analogies ; plants, insects, and Comparative Anatomy 

 will increase these analogies, especially when we are 

 able to take advantage of the microscope more than 

 at present. 



In such passages he appears, like Bacon, to have 

 especially directed research to those natural gra- 

 dations between species which have become the 

 pillars of Evolution. 



Leibnitz' doctrine of Force as the ultimate 

 reality aUied him to Descartes ; he regarded the 

 animal and even the human body as machines, 

 even in their smallest parts. But his speculative 

 teachings, as in part a revival of Aristotle's, cer- 



